Reviews (1)

Farewell to Classical Deterrence Theory!
Deterrence means discouraging the enemy from taking military action to upset status quo by posing for him a prospect of cost and risk outweighing his prospective gain. However, the term deterrence didn't appear in the literature of international relations prior to World War II (Dougherty and Pfaltzgraff 1997: 367), because it was a product of nuclear age.
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Subjects:  1. Deterrence (Strategy)    2. International Relations - Arms Control    3. International Relations - General    4. Military - Nuclear Warfare    5. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    6. Political Science    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. International relations    10. Political Science / International Relations    11. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (1)

Nobel Prize Winner
"Israeli economist Yisrael (Robert J.)Aumann said Monday he was elated after learning in a phone call from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences that he and a fellow scientist had won the 2005 Read more

Subjects:  1. Arms Control And Disarmament    2. Arms control    3. Business & Economics    4. Business/Economics    5. Disarmament    6. Economics - General    7. Finance    8. Game theory    9. International Relations - Arms Control    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Simulation methods    12. Arms negotiation & control    13. Business & Economics / Economics / General    14. Political science & theory   

Reviews (1)

Superbly Researched, Prolific, Frighteningly True
This is one of the best and most comprehensive bookshelf volumes on the topic of nuclear, biological, chemical and conventional weapons production, proliferation, and stockpiling. Organized by weapons system type and geographic location, Cirincione and his research team provide a straightforward and rather frightening catalog of current programs and stockpiles, as well as regional and country-specific forecasts.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biological arms control    2. Chemical arms control    3. International Relations - Arms Control    4. Military Science    5. Nuclear arms control    6. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    7. Political Science    8. Politics - Current Events    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Verification    12. Weapons of mass destruction    13. Arms negotiation & control    14. Weapons & equipment   

Editorial Review

Multiple regression analyses are rarely the subject of heated public debate or 225-page books for laypeople. But John R. Lott, Jr.'s study in the January 1997 Read more

Reviews (158)

Be wary of reviewers here.
It would be in the best interest of those thinking of purchasing the book to scan over a copy of it themselves before purchasing it.The especially negative reviews should be scrutinized.....they are obviously written by people who do not like looking at what Dr. Lotts' data says.They claim that he is a mouthpiece for the firearms industry, but the truth of the matter is that the man never even owned or operated a firearm until AFTER he came to the conclusions he did in the paper that subsequently led to this book.He chose to purchase a firearm only after he learned the effects private ownership had on crime.
Review the reviewers
Poorly researched and using fictional statistics, this book is a great example of how NOT to do research!
Attracted to the book because of the critics...
I have a concealed carry permit and am a member of a number of gun rights organizations.However, I simply am not one to use utilitarian arguments for such positions and so would normally not be interested in econometric modeling to defend something like the right to keep and bear arms.Nevertheless, as I began to find all these attacks on Dr. Lott -- even by miscellaneous gun rights advocates on USNET, I just had to see what it was all about.
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Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Firearms    3. Firearms and crime    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. International Relations - Arms Control    6. Law and legislation    7. Political Process - General    8. Political Science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. United States    12. Causes & prevention of crime    13. Social Science / Criminology    14. Social law    15. USA    16. Violence in society    17. Weapons & equipment   

Reviews (16)

Interesting but I can't unreservedly recommend...
...purchase...if you're unfamiliar with the mechanics of politics this book will enlighten you as to how it all works...but basically this book does little more than describe how Republicans have managed their political activities more adroitly than Democrats in recent years...good writing but nothing particularly exciting or enlightening.

The True Science of Extremism
You can ignore some of the more vitriolic reviews of this political science treatise, ranting either for or against, just because it criticizes the Republicans. Such reviews are from pundits who read a lot of popular commentary, and think they understand real politics. There is a very large difference between political commentary, which is the sloganeering of popular observers ranging from Michael Moore to Ann Coulter, and political science, which is backed up by solid academic theory and scientific evidence. Those of us familiar with academic dissertations in this field will be pleasantly surprised by the readability of this one. If you're also exasperated by the continually lowest-common-denominator jingoism of today's political discourse, then you'll also be surprised by the strength of this book's positions.
Excellent Description of the Problem, Miss the Solution
This is a tremendous book.It joins "The Cultural Creatives," "The Radical Center" and "Breach of Trust" (by Tom Coburn, about how the "Party" turns elected representatives into slaves to the party line and against their constituencies).When combined with the latter books and Ralph Nader's long-standing complaints about "thesystem," these authors can take credit for adding useful new insights as to how extremist Republicans (who can indeed be likened to Hitler's movement in the efficacy of their take-over of a Nation with limited numbers--and I say this as a moderate Republican furious over the loss of MY party's reason) have pulled off the theft of a Nation and the looting of the middle class through the working poor.
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Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. International Relations - Arms Control    3. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    4. Political Process - Political Parties    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Current Events / American    9. Political ideologies    10. USA   

Reviews (2)

Excellent but omits ecological challenges
This was the first book I read in the "Very Short Introduction" series. I was surprised by how substantial it is. It also seems quite balanced. References, suggestions for further reading and a 5 page index are included.
Thought Provoking
Teaching capitalism in today's world is like describing water to a fish; we are surrounded by it, can't live without it and are unaware of the alternatives.Most have never experienced the depression, many have forgotten the days when communism was actually a threat.We are blind to the absolutely crucial nature of how our world works.Although we watched the stock market plummet in 1987 and have all learned valuable lessons from the internet boom & bust, I picked up this book because I wanted to know a bit more about how the scholars view capitalism.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Capitalism    5. Economic History    6. Economics - General    7. Free Enterprise    8. International Relations - Arms Control    9. Business & Economics / Economics / General    10. Capitalist or free market economies    11. Economics | Theory    12. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Subjects:  1. Arms control    2. Arms transfers    3. Disarmament    4. International Relations - Arms Control    5. International Relations - General    6. Law and legislation    7. Military Science    8. Political Science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Arms negotiation & control    12. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    13. Political Science / International Relations   

Reviews (20)

More food for thought
Personally, I prefer to follow the subject of U.F.O.'s, but now and again I find an interesting sidetrack... HAARP; The Ultimate Weapon of the onspiracy is one of those interesting side tracks. Jerry E. Smith has shown, once again, that the government can spew out the lies, and almost everyone that hears them will acccept them as gospel.... It's time to open not your eyes, but your minds...this book may help you do just that!

H.A.A.R.P.
Jerry E. Smith presents us first with the facts and details of H.A.A.R.P installation in Alaska.He explains the governments intended purpose and then he starts offering what he believes H.A.A.R.P is and why it is there.Smith tells that it's a little scientific research toy which has the ability to affect weather, wipe out the user's enemies (real or fancied), and if the evidence is true, even control our minds.Some feel that this project is sponsored by a New World Order and this will solve all earth problems of war and enemies.I rather liked this book because it offers you another conspiracy that some government or governments are pondering to take action against each other.Great book!

What next?
If "they" run this device full-power, they'll stop at nothing! Most of the reviewers got it right....eye-opening and thorough and immensely readable. I couldn't put it down. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Controversial Knowledge    2. International Relations - Arms Control    3. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    4. Political Science    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Alaska    7. Central government policies    8. Defence strategy, planning & research    9. Espionage & secret services    10. Freedom of information & freedom of speech    11. Weapons & equipment   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History & Surveys - Modern    3. International Relations - Arms Control    4. Philosophy    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Reference    9. History of ideas, intellectual history    10. Political Science / Reference    11. Vico, Giambattista,--1668-1744.--Principi di una scienza nuova    12. Western philosophy, c 1600 to c 1800   

Reviews (6)

The Definitive Story of "The Missiles of October"
For thirteen days in October 1962, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. The two global superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, brought their nuclear arsenals of missile-armed submarines, long-range strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles to an unprecedented condition of war readiness. In the U.S., the armed forces' hair-trigger alert level was called "Defense Condition 2," or "DEFCON-2." The world held its breath as all eyes turned to the small island nation of Cuba, just 90 miles from Florida.
Very detailed, but repetitive.
Pros: very detailed account of the crisis and gives a good brief overview of the cold war (before and after).Well documented sources and factual data including military units, policies, weapons, maps & charts.
Particularly appropriate these days
As a second-grader during the Cuban Missile Crisis, I remember President Kennedy's address on TV, the black-and-white photos of the missiles sites, the talk of the quarantine line. Reading DEFCON-2 brought back a rush of memories.
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Subjects:  1. Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. International Relations - Arms Control    7. Military - Nuclear Warfare    8. United States - 20th Century    9. Cuba    10. History / United States / 20th Century    11. International relations    12. USA   

Reviews (4)

An important contribution to understanding health inequalities
Marmot began his important work on social determinants of health with two long term studies of the British Civil Service finding that those who enjoyed higher status roles had better health and longer life expectancy than those who had lower status roles. This gradient from higher to lower applied throughout the service. Why was it so? And did it apply in other social and cultural contexts?
A book of socialist faith, not reason
Open Professor Marmot's book to almost any page and see him make firm statements and firm conclusions about research and anecdotal evidence which are in fact quite uncertain.It seems reasonable that status affects health, indeed I believe it does, but Professor Marmot throws anecdotes or questionable research conclusions at the troublesome fact that healthier people will achieve greater status, or in other words that healthier people are healthier.
Invaluable teaching aid for public health students
This book is the perfect introduction to the study of Health Inequalities, especially in the context of occupational health. Students are gripped. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Health aspects    3. Healthy Living    4. International Relations - Arms Control    5. Longevity    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Social status    9. Sociology    10. Sociology - General    11. Science / General   

Reviews (10)

Iran has a right to self-defense
While I'm not an advocate of nuclear weapons or nuclear power, I can certainly understand why Iran would be moving in the direction of this sort of technology.It understands that the US is an aggressive military empire that has been on a quest for hegemony for generations.On top of that, the US has already been involved with the overthrow of an Iranian leader, the democratically elected Mossadegh.That overthrow led to the US-backed Shah and his brutal security forces.So, predictably, Iran is moving to defend itself.If US citizens have a problem with that, they should work to change their own society which has thousands of nuclear weapons, a yearly $450 billion military budget, hundreds of military bases around the world and a history of conducting aggression around the world.
Lacking in focus, not lacking in analytical short cuts
OK. I'm not sure where to begin with this book. First of all, it is the most scattered, poorly focused book i have ever read. I am not sure why the chapter on the Iran-Iraq War was in the book, nor am I positive why the author spent so much time discussing South Africa. Many of the chapters did not fit and would have been better off in the appendix, while many of the appendices, such as the one on iran's missiles, would have been much better suited in the main text. Also, while much of the text is interesting, such as the Appendix on Hezbollah, the author spends too much time talking about that topic, and not its relationship with Iran. While this book is supposed to be about Iran's nuclear weapons program, very little time is actually spent discussing it.
Solid Work Heavy Reading Though
Patrick Clawson said it well enough, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have uncovered one hidden Iranian nuclear program after another during the last two and a half years. Tehran has now acknowledged having concealed (for eighteen years) a wide range of nuclear activities. Some of them have few peaceful applications but are directly useful for nuclear weapons. This surprising nuclear progress fits a context, for the Iranian regime has also tested long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and its Supreme Leader has proclaimed that Israel is a cancer that should be excised by being wiped off the map. Read more

Subjects:  1. International Relations - Arms Control    2. Iran    3. Nuclear weapons    4. Political Freedom & Security - General    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Security, International    9. Weapons of mass destruction    10. History / Military / Strategy   

Reviews (2)

Great book for several reasons
The author has a background and contacts in intelligence circles. This is information that is not only interesting, but should get out beyond the readers of this book.Gertz carefully details with a lot of specifics how Russia, China, Germany, France, North Korea, and more work together to supply rogue nations and terrorist groups with weaponry.This is a must read if you want to get a broad horizon on the threats of the world today.This is the kind of information you won't get in the news, because it's too granular and complicated for the average newspaper reader, or television audience.

This is a speach, not a study
This book reads like a national discourse rather than a political and security analysis. It is no secret that other nations are competing with the United States over diverging interests around the world. France and Russia had signed oil contracts with Saddam's Iraq prior to the American war in 2003 and it was only natural for them to stand up to defend their interests before the world community and in the UN.
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Subjects:  1. 1995-2005    2. 21st century    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. History    5. Illegal arms transfers    6. International Relations - Arms Control    7. National security    8. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Sociology - General    13. United States    14. World politics    15. Current Events / International   

Reviews (39)

Superficial at best
The author uses the same tactics he denigrates when used by others. For instance, in the section on Japan, he has to admit that gun crime is the lowest in the industrialized world, mostly affecting intra-ciminal violence. To mitigate that success, Poe describes the fuedal lord who took away swords in the 16th century and how the police are still the arrogant samurai, as if that's relevant to this modern subject.
Concise and logical
Just thought this book was great.Provided many interesting facts/figures that have now inspired me to start doing my own research.A great, quick read for anyone intersted on the topic of Gun control/ Gun Laws.Great book regardless of your position on this fundamental right.

Misleading
This book pretty much lays it on the line as to why every single argument made for the control of guns in this country is completely full of crap.But, what surprises me is a book by Horowitz misses the point on this so completely.And that point is that the gun control advocates KNOW they are full of crap.Or more importantly, they are LYING to promote a hidden agenda....and that agenda has dramatic, sweeping implications for any person unlucky enough to be in a position to defend themselves from violence.The reason this surprises me is Horowitz's other books do such a good job of describing and then documenting how liberals, leftists activist judges and democrats are pretty much engaged in a full on attempt to bring down our government and wipe out america so as to grab power for themselves in some form of totalitarian state.This issue is just another piece of the puzzle. If you look carefully at the pattern in the changes of laws dealing with criminals, you will see that more and more, criminals are shielded from the harm their actions invariably bring on themselves (both from the criminal justice system and from victims that fight back).And in no place is that worse than in laws having to do with the use of lethal force to protect yourself.Yeah, gun control is a serious threat to our freedom.But, that's not the real problem.THE problem is if you have to shoot some crack addicted fool who has come to murder you and your family, there is incredibly high chance that YOU will end up in prison, getting gang raped every single day for the rest of your comparatively short life!The problem is far worse in specific places in the country (do whatever you must to move out of those areas by the way).What a surprise, those areas all happen to be blue states....cough.But, even if you miraculously survive the powerful assault the police and courts will wage on you to throw your butt in jail, there is the matter of lawsuits.You will be sued by the criminal that attacked you, 100% of the time, unless you are smart enough to live in a state like Colorado that has laws specifically preventing that sort of dual victimization (ALL criminals do this, by the way, to their victims after getting caught, no matter how frivolous or unlikely their case).Because of these problems, to say it is NOT a good idea to go packing, is an understatement.The truth is the gun control issue is moot because in most places in the US, we have already lost.You can carry your gun, but heaven help you if you have to use it.The standard for justifiable use of force is so unreasonably strict that almost nobody can meet it and still survive the encounter.It won't be long until you will have to have had several rounds pumped into your chest by a criminal, before you are allowed to fight back.THIS and not the laws having to do with ownership and carry of guns is what is critical at the moment.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. International Relations - Arms Control    3. Political Science    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Current Events / General   

Reviews (2)

Insightful !
This book stems from a three-year-long collaboration between the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary. Scholars studied eight countries currently committed to nonproliferation - Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan - to determine what scenarios might make them change their minds. The objective was to study how the nuclear genie might get out of the bottle - but it also indicates ways to keep it contained. The book intentionally does not focus on proliferator states, such as North Korea or Iran. Even with that omission, we recommend it for the stark realities its research uncovers. One is that non-proliferating nations all look to the U.S. for reassurance that the world will stay safe for those without nuclear weapons. Another is that the world must stop Iran and North Korea's atomic ambitions, lest a tipping point occurs that would provoke other nations to conclude that their security requires swinging the biggest stick.

more proliferation?
In the midst of headlines about possible nuclear weapons being acquired by rogue states, this recent book is quite timely. It addresses what is a slightly puzzling issue. Why, 60 years after the use of nuclear weapons, are there still relatively few nations armed with these weapons? Some projections made in the 1960s postulated that by now, if we hadn't blown ourselves up, there would be scores of nuclear armed nations.
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Subjects:  1. International Relations - Arms Control    2. National security    3. Nuclear nonproliferation    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Security, International    9. Arms negotiation & control    10. International relations    11. Nuclear weapons   

Reviews (1)

A useful book
Plenty of nations have nuclear weapons.Why is it that some people are worried about Iran obtaining them?Part of the reason may be that the risk to everyone increases as more and more nations possess such weapons.But the author adds the following:
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Subjects:  1. History    2. International Relations - Arms Control    3. International Relations - Diplomacy    4. Iran    5. Military    6. Military - Nuclear Warfare    7. Nuclear arms control    8. Nuclear weapons    9. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Arms negotiation & control    12. International relations   

Reviews (5)

Some of them do
Mark LeVine, who is a professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, Culture and Islamic Studies at the University of California, Irvine wants to champion what he calls "cultural jamming" as a means to bridge the cultural abyss between the Middle East and the West.
A must read for supporters and opponents alike
Globalization is a very popular topic these days and innumerable publications have appeared which either celebrate it as nothing short of a revolution which produces wealth and brings people closer together or, at the other end of the spectrum, demonize it as a destructive monster which burns everything in its path. Levine takes on this controversial topic in a book which consists of three parts. The first is mainly devoted to setting up the stage for the rest of book and to placing it into the current often ideological discourse about globalization.