War and the Engineers: The Primacy of Politics over Technology (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.68 (865 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0801474876 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 256 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-02-02 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Lieber's cases explore the military and political implications of the spread of railroads, the emergence of rifled small arms and artillery, the introduction of battle tanks, and the nuclear revolution. Offense-defense theory is perhaps best known from the passionate and intricate debates about first-strike capability and deterrence stability during the cold war, but it has deeper historical roots, remains a staple in international relations theorizing, and drives modern arms control policymaking.In War and the Engineers, the first book systematically to test the logical and empirical validity of offense-defense theory, Keir A. Li
It is essential reading for anyone who cares about war's conduct, outcomes, and political effects."Stephen Biddle, Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. "Keir A. He shows how seldom military innovations create clear and consistent advantages for defense and reminds political scientists that political incentives remain the driving force in decisions for war or peace."Richard K. Betts, Director, Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University . Unfortunately, Keir A. Army War College, author of Military Power"Scholars and strategists steeped in the history of cost
A useful corective to technological determinism Steve Walton This is an expanded version of the argument that Lieber gave in International Security in 2000 [reprinted in Offense, Defense, and War (MIT Press, 2004)] and fills in many of the necessary gaps in that shorter article. Offense-Defense theory is all the rage in international security studies, and it, coupled with the tendency of historians of technology to (at least tacitly) subscribe to technological determinism (i.e., machines make us win or loose), has produced a mindset that emphasizes procurement over training, systems over intelligence, and 'overwhelming force' over measured responses. Whether Lieber's is the last word on
Keir A. . Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and Faculty Fellow at the Nanovic Institute for European Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Lieber is Associate Professor of Political Science, Faculty Fellow at the Joan B