Military transformation can be understood as comprising three overlapping and sometimes competing layers--the conventional-force dominated revolution in military affairs, a more recent irregular warfare emphasis, and a wider dimension including homeland defense, space and nuclear policy. The Western world is currently focusing its attention on transformation's middle layer, while China and Russia are focusing on the RMA and transformation's wider aspects. This dynamic indicates the United States and its allies should continue to prepare for the full range of conflicts.

This book...

Citizen-soldiers have played one of the most important roles in providing an integral part to the United States national defense system. From the earliest founding of the American militia in 1636, to the participation of National Guard and Reserve forces in today's war on terror, citizen-soldiers have come forward during national emergencies to provide necessary defense. The defense system of America has always had a need for citizen roles in the military, which have become the foundation for the National Guard and Reserve. These men and women have contributed greatly to their country in...

Thousands of American service members are returning from their tours of duty with physical and/or psychological disabilities. Many--if not most--of these service members will need at least some assistance to adapt to their disabilities and learn how to reintegrate back into civilian life. Also impacted will be the spouse, friends, employers, family members, counselors, and community members of each veteran with a disability. The veterans may not be aware of the ways in which their disabilities are impacting them, nor knowledgeable about the resources available to help them cope. In...

The United States government invests billions each year on equipping armed forces with the most advanced military equipment. The root of the American defense acquisition system is driven by a combination of national interests and domestic political requirements. While fundamentally the defense acquisition system has produced results for the United States military, improvements are needed in order to continue to move forward in advancing military tactics and technology. Exploring both the systemic and political levels of the system, Sorenson argues that the United States will fall behind if...

Serving America's Veterans: A Reference Handbook comes from an impeccable source--former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations, and Logistics Lawrence J. Korb. Korb and his team of experts survey, analyze, and evaluate the infrastructural conditions, administrative and health care service challenges, policies, and politics affecting veterans affairs in the United States. They overview the historical context of contemporary veterans affairs and project the capabilities of the Veterans Administration to cope with the needs of active, reserve, and...

"Military Doctrine: A Reference Handbook" takes a thorough look at 20th- and 21st-century military doctrines around the world. It excerpts relevant English-language scholarly and governmental literature to paint a picture of how military doctrine has developed in recent history, what military doctrines are currently operating on the world stage, and where military doctrine is heading in the near future. The book casts a wide net, scanning the relevant government documents, international agreements, monographs, journals, conference papers, and Internet resources to present a thorough...

The impact of energy on global security and economy is clear and profound, and this is why in recent years energy security has become a source of concern to most countries. However, energy security means different things to different countries based on their geographic location, their endowment of resources their strategic and economic conditions. In this book, Gal Luft and Anne Korin with the help of twenty leading experts provide an overview of the world's energy system and its vulnerabilities that underlay growing concern over energy security. It hosts a debate about the feasibility of...

International Crime and Punishment: A Guide to the Issues explores the many facets of this relatively new field of criminal law, an autonomous branch of law that concerns international crimes and the systems set up to handle individuals who are accused of committing them. As the author explains, international crimes include crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, war crimes, trafficking in human beings, drug trafficking, money laundering, arms trafficking, and smuggling of cultural artifacts.

The laws may seem straightforward, but the system is not without...

"An Introduction to Military Ethics: A Reference Handbook" presents the philosophical and conceptual foundations of military ethics, offering an excellent foundation for exploration and discussion of these issues. It focuses first on the 2,500-year legacy of the "just war theory" and its application through history. It then moves to the application of that tradition in the modern era, showing how acts of terrorism by nonstate participants require a new theory and way of thinking about when and how armed force can be justifiably employed. Further, the author analyzes how new theories might...