Useful Enemies: When Waging Wars is More Important Than Winning Them - Hardcover

David Keen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 8170494907 ISBN 13: 9788170494904

Publisher: Manas Publications, 2014

Synopsis

There are currently between twenty and thirty civil wars worldwide, while at a global level the Cold War has been succeeded by a "war on drugs" and a "war on terror" that continues to rage a decade after 9/11. Why is this, when we know how destructive war is in both human and economic terms? Why do the efforts of aid organizations and international diplomats founder so often? In this important book David Keen investigates why conflicts are so prevalent and so intractable, even when one side has much greater military resources. Could it be that endemic disorder and a "state of emergency" are more useful than bringing conflict to a close? Keen asks who benefits from wars - whether economically, politically, or psychologically - and argues that in order to bring them successfully to an end we need to understand the complex vested interests on all sides.

"...provides an important perspective on the most troubling dimensions of recent local and regional wars." (Publishers Weekly)

About this title

Review

“Engaging and readable... David Keen’s findings will be ever-more important... His lessons are salutary...” (The RUSI Journal [Royal United Services Institute])

“[An] important book... the natural product of over two decades of research on wars across the globe.” (Cambridge Review of International Affairs)

“an interesting read... Because Professor Keen has been involved in some of these conflicts, it gives him a particular credibility in his analysis... should be available in military libraries, on every military and civilian planners’ bookshelf and be read by those with an interest in learning more about the nature of conflict in the 21st century.” (Army Rumour Service)

“Keen has written an important book... the book’s real contribution lies in compiling the hidden functions of war in a comprehensible way and making them accessible to a broader non-specialist public.” (International Affairs)

“This eye-opening book will change the way you look at conflicts and the humanitarian efforts aimed at alleviating their impact on civilians.” (The National)

“personal and ultimately intriguing... recommended.” (Choice Review)

“The book’s most important theoretical step is as simple as it is original. Scholars, policymakers and the general public generally think of war as a win-or-lose game, in which both parties have irreconcilably different goals. Keen puts forward a convincing alternative to this view by outlining how interests of opposing actors in war often overlap at least partially.” (Global Crime)
“By applying the same lens to war in both developed and developing countries, and highlighting how they are often driven by similar political, economic and psychological dynamics, Keen undermines the comfortable distinction between violence in failed states and the modern - or even post-modern - wars of the West” (Times Higher Education)

“an important perspective on the most troubling dimensions of recent local and regional wars” (Publishers Weekly)

“Four stars – super” (The Scotsman)

“altogether excellent” (Chase Madar)

“an interesting book... important for understanding the world we live in.” (Cover to Cover)

“This is a book that you should read, despite its uncomfortable look at the reality of war (The Deepening World of Books)

“... dedicates a powerful chapter to demonstrating how the state of ‘permanent emergency’ in the U.S. is driven by a variety of vested interests who benefit from the perpetuation of fear of a faceless enemy...” (Reason Magazine).

“Keen’s book challenges us to reconsider our way of understanding conflict and its purposes. Written in an easily approachable style, it is full of anecdotes and uses a minimum of academic jargon, making is a valuable and accessible read for a wider audience. Although it does not contain explicit policy guidelines, it has the potential to stimulate debate in policy-making circles and the donor community.” (Meike De Goede)

“David Keen has taken a great step toward revising our thinking about war... an important and provocative work.” (George Kenney, Electricpolitics.com)

About the Author

David Keen is professor of complex emergencies at the London School of Economics. He lives in Oxford, UK.

Edition details

• Publisher: Manas Publications
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 8170494907
• ISBN 13: 9788170494904
• Binding: Hardcover