Russia And Postmodern Deterrence: Military Power and Its Challenges for Security (Issues in Twenty-First Century Warfare) - Softcover

Cimbala, Stephen J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1574888145 ISBN 13: 9781574888140

Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc., 2007

Synopsis

Russia is a post-communist country struggling to adapt to the modern world economically and politically. In the twenty-first century, Russia faces postmodern social, cultural, and political problems with its old policy of deterrence. For Russia’s political leaders and military planners, three scenarios define their postmodern setting: 1) the world’s leading military and economic powers, with the exception of China, are market-based economies and political democracies; 2) the revolution in military affairs, based on advances in information, electronics, and communications, is driving both civil and military technology innovation; and 3) the Cold War’s fundamental war-fighting premises, such as deterrence based on nuclear weapons and on conventional armed forces organized and trained for massive wars of attrition, have changed radically. These points’implications for future Russian strategy are profound, Stephen J. Cimbala and Peter Rainow argue. Russia faces an increased presence of its former adversary, the United States, in adjacent territories; an increasingly assertive NATO, which includes many of Moscow’s former allies; and continued fighting in Chechnya. Ominously, China aspires to overtake Russia as the world’s second-ranked military power and establish its hegemony over the Pacific basin. In short, Russia confronts a radically new political and military world order that demands adapting to postmodern thinking about deterrence and defense. The danger is that Russia, realizing that it lags behind in leveraging modern technology for military purposes and that it must scrap its dependence on conscription, now relies on nuclear weapons as its first line of deterrence against either nuclear or conventional attack.

About this title

Review:

." . . .a worthy addition to the scholarship related to Russia's military challenges. Recommended." A must read for policymakers and scholars concerned with relations between the United States and Russia. "Russia and Postmodern Deterrence" is an outstanding analysis of Russia s contemporary security dilemmas. It is culturally empathetic, historically well founded, and technically sophisticated. This book is a superb guide to Russia's strategic context today and tomorrow. "A must read for policymakers and scholars concerned with relations between the United States and Russia."--Lawrence Korb, senior fellow with the Center for American Progress and senior adviser with the Center for Defense Information ""Russia and Postmodern Deterrence" is an outstanding analysis of Russia's contemporary security dilemmas. It is culturally empathetic, historically well founded, and technically sophisticated. This book is a superb guide to Russia's strategic context today and tomorrow."--Colin S. Gray, author of "Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare"--Colin S. Gray

From the Publisher:

Stephen J. Cimbala is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Penn State Brandywine.Dr. Cimbala is the author of numerous works in the fields of U.S. national security policy, nuclear arms control, conflict termination and related topics. He is an award winning Penn State teacher, has consulted for various U.S. government agencies and defense contractors, and has been quoted frequently in the media on security related topics.

About this edition

• Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1574888145
• ISBN 13: 9781574888140
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192