- 240 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Preventive war has a long history in international politics, but until it became an instrumental part of the Bush Doctrine, it was mostly overlooked. Renshon argues that the best avenue for understanding decisions to initiate preventive action is through a close examination of the individual leader responsible for such decisions. In this work, he develops a theory of psychological motivations for preventive action. By examining five situations, including the Iraq war, he pinpoints the factors that matter most in decisions to take preventive military action. There have been preventive wars throughout history, but the motivations behind them have remained elusive, and many crucial questions remain unanswered. What exactly constitutes preventive action? What differentiates preventive action from pre-emptive action? Are there significant differences between preventive strikes and full-on preventive wars? What is the relationship of preventive action to traditional concepts of deterrence, compellence, and international law? Finally, why do states initiate preventive action? Renshon argues that the best avenue for understanding decisions to initiate preventive action is through a close examination of the individual leader responsible for such decisions.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Table of contents
- Contents
- Foreword by Alexander L. George
- Preface
- 1. Preventive War: An Introduction
- 2. Preventing What? The Suez Canal Crisis
- 3. Israelās Preventive Strike against Iraq
- 4. How Real Was āāDr. Strangelove?āā American Preventive War Thinking PostāWWII
- 5. To the Brink . . . India and Pakistanās Nuclear Standoff
- 6. Preventive War as a Grand Strategy? George W. Bush and āāOperation Iraqi Freedomāā
- 7. Conclusion: Preventive War in Perspective
- Epilogue: Preventive War in the Age of Terrorism and Rogue States
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index