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The Adaptive Military: Armed Forces in a Turbulent World
by Peter Jordan Caroline LloydWhen the cold war ended, many hoped it signified enhanced prospects for a more stable world. However, despite favorable political developments, the post-cold war period has been marked by turbulence, uncertainty, and challenge. The actions of rogue states such as Iraq and North Korea have made nuclear proliferation more unpredictable. Violence in Somalia and Bosnia has cast doubt on the viability of international peacekeeping arrangements. Hopes for expanding democratization have been dimmed by assertions that the values of liberal democracy and human rights are incompatible with non-Western cultures. The Adaptive Military describes how military security policies and practices have adapted to these new times and explains why such changes are necessary.The central argument is that current conflicts have been shaped by long-term trends, which increased the number and complexity of threats that the developed world is supposed to meet, and correspondingly decreased the stock of social and political options available to meet them.Although the authors differ in their assessments about the current prospects for peace and ways to maintain security, the issues they address are as critical as they were at the end of the Cold War. Mobilizing resources and political support for remote and difficult enterprises will always remain contentious, but if we recognize the hazard of letting violence run unopposed throughout the world, then we bear some responsibility to consider how it might be checked. This volume is an exercise of that responsibility. It will be of great interest to experts in military studies and international relations.
The Aden Effect
by Claude G. BerubeAlpha team was gone, dead to a man. A few crewmen from Bravo team had been blown overboard. Stark reentered the pilothouse and checked the radio hoping to get out one last mayday, but the radio, like the crew, was dead....Connor Stark was a pariah, a man without a country, a former naval officer whose career came to an unceremonious end after a court-martial resulted in a dishonorable discharge. At home and at peace in Scotland, he was determined to leave his past behind until murder, politics, and Middle East instability prompted his unexpected recall to active duty. . Set against a background of modern piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the story begins as the new American ambassador to Yemen, C. J. Sumner, is assigned to negotiate access to the oil fields off the island of Socotra and enlists Stark's help countering pirates who are capturing ships at will off the Horn of Africa. Meeting with resistance to her diplomatic overtures, Sumner recruits Stark, who has become a mercenary after being dishonorably discharged, as her defense attaché, because he knows the region. When Stark sets up a meeting with the owner of a Yemeni shipping company and the ruling
The Admiral
by Laurin Hall Healy Luis KutnerThis book is both a complete life of Admiral George Dewey and a comprehensive history of the Navy, to which he made so large a contribution. Besides being a great mariner and fighter, Dewey was a great naval diplomat who will live in history as The Naval Statesman of America. In season and out of season Admiral Dewey advocated a Navy second to none. His supreme passion, aside from winning victories over the enemy in every engagement in which he fought, was to see the Navy of the United States strong enough and big enough to meet and defeat any possible antagonist. Long experience and technical knowledge guided his statesmanship.In the long years of his service as president of the General Board, Admiral Dewey demonstrated his knowledge of international law, diplomacy, and history, thereby not only demonstrating his versatility and high ability, but also helping to win preliminary battles of diplomacy for his country. He and his associates, notably Admiral Charles J. Badger, laid broad and deep the foundations of naval strength.
The Admiral Benbow: The Life and Times of a Naval Legend
by Sam WillisAdmiral John Benbow was an English naval hero, a fighting sailor of ruthless methods but indomitable courage. Benbow was a man to be reckoned with. In 1702, however, when Benbow engaged a French squadron off the Spanish main, other ships in his squadron failed to support him. His leg shattered by a cannon-ball, Benbow fought on - but to no avail: the French escaped and the stricken Benbow succumbed to his wounds. When the story of his 'Last Fight' reached England, there was an outcry. Two of the captains who had abandoned him were court-martialled and shot; 'Brave Benbow' was elevated from national hero to national legend, his valour immortalized in broadsheet and folksong: ships were named after him; Tennyson later fêted him in verse; in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, the tavern where Jim Hawkins and his mother live is called 'The Admiral Benbow'. For the very first time, Sam Willis tells the extraordinary story of Admiral Benbow through an age of dramatic change, from his birth under Cromwell's Commonwealth; to service under the restored Stuart monarchy; to the Glorious Revolution of 1688; to the French wars of Louis XIV; and finally to the bitter betrayal of 1702. The Admiral Benbow covers all aspects of seventeenth century naval life in richly vivid detail, from strategy and tactics to health and discipline. But Benbow also worked in the Royal Dockyards, lived in Samuel Evelyn's House, knew Peter the Great, helped to found the first naval hospital, and helped to build the first offshore lighthouse. The second volume in the Hearts of Oak trilogy, from one of Britain's most exciting young historians, The Admiral Benbow is a gripping and detailed account of the making of a naval legend.
The Admiral Benbow: The Life and Times of a Naval Legend (Hearts of Oak Trilogy)
by Sam WillisAdmiral John Benbow was an English naval hero, a fighting sailor of ruthless methods but indomitable courage. Benbow was a man to be reckoned with. In 1702, however, when Benbow engaged a French squadron off the Spanish main, other ships in his squadron failed to support him. His leg shattered by a cannon-ball, Benbow fought on - but to no avail: the French escaped and the stricken Benbow succumbed to his wounds. When the story of his 'Last Fight' reached England, there was an outcry. Two of the captains who had abandoned him were court-martialled and shot; 'Brave Benbow' was elevated from national hero to national legend, his valour immortalized in broadsheet and folksong: ships were named after him; Tennyson later fêted him in verse; in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, the tavern where Jim Hawkins and his mother live is called 'The Admiral Benbow'. For the very first time, Sam Willis tells the extraordinary story of Admiral Benbow through an age of dramatic change, from his birth under Cromwell's Commonwealth; to service under the restored Stuart monarchy; to the Glorious Revolution of 1688; to the French wars of Louis XIV; and finally to the bitter betrayal of 1702. The Admiral Benbow covers all aspects of seventeenth century naval life in richly vivid detail, from strategy and tactics to health and discipline. But Benbow also worked in the Royal Dockyards, lived in Samuel Evelyn's House, knew Peter the Great, helped to found the first naval hospital, and helped to build the first offshore lighthouse. The second volume in the Hearts of Oak trilogy, from one of Britain's most exciting young historians, The Admiral Benbow is a gripping and detailed account of the making of a naval legend.
The Admiral's Bride
by Suzanne BrockmannNew York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann has thrilled audiences with her Tall, Dark and Dangerous series. Experience it here with a hero who must face the most daring adventure of all--falling in love. Now everything is on the line... When six canisters of a lethal nerve agent are stolen from a military testing lab, it's up to Admiral Jake Robinson to infiltrate the compound where religious fanatics have stored the deadly toxin. His partner--posing as his wife--is Dr. Zoe Lange, a biological warfare specialist and an expert in espionage. And though their marriage may be a hoax, Jake's growing feelings for Zoe are anything but make-believe. With each hour he's in Zoe's company the stakes get higher, and the situation within the compound is escalating...
The Admiral's Daughter
by Julian StockwinIn the 8th volume in the popular high-seas nautical adventure series, Thomas Kydd and Nicholas Renzi return to England in 1803 after tumultuous episodes on the other side of the world, only to find England in peril of starvation and bankruptcy. Kydd is placed back in command of his beloved vessel Teazer, but he barely has time to prep her for the sea before he is sent on an urgent mission. Smugglers, enemy privateers, and treacherous sea conditions await Kydd on his journey to northern France on the eve of war, but equally worrisome events are occurring ashore. When a growing attachment to the admiral's daughter curbs Kydd's blissful reunion with Teazer, he is forced to make a terrible decision that may cause the end of his friendship with Renzi—or the end of his naval career.
The Admiral's Penniless Bride
by Carla KellyA witty tale of passions and practicalities in Regency England from the “powerful and wonderfully perceptive” RITA Award–winning author (Mary Jo Putney, New York Times–bestselling author of Lady of Fortune).Sally Paul is down to her last penny. As she spends it on a cup of tea—to stave off being at the mercy of the workhouse—the last thing she expects is an offer of marriage . . . from a complete stranger!Admiral Sir Charles Bright’s seafaring days are over—and according to society, that must mean he’s in need of a wife. Discovering that Sally’s in need of a home, he offers a solution. . . . They marry in haste. But will they enjoy their wedding night at leisure?“It is always a joy to read a Carla Kelly love story. Always original, always superb.” —RT Book Reviews“Kelly has the rare ability to create realistic yet sympathetic characters that linger in the mind.” —Library Journal
The Admirals' Advantage
by David Rosenberg Christopher FordThis analytic and historical study provides a revealing look at naval operational intelligence by embracing the fundamental question of what OPINTEL is and how it answers the fundamental question "Where is the enemy, in what strength, and disposition, and what is he doing right now?" It is primarily the result of an Operational Intelligence Lessons-Learned Symposium held at the National Maritime Intelligence Training Center in Dam Neck, Virginia, 12-13 September 1998. The participants included senior intelligence professionals whose mandate was to explore the ramifications of the evolution of naval operational intelligence since World War II. Current practices were also explored with inputs from current practitioners as represented by various fleet and shore commands. Additional sources for the study were oral interviews and correspondence with senior members of the intelligence community. The authors have scrupulously taken the work as close to the edge of security classification as is possible to enhance its value without being damaging to national security.
The Admirals: Canada's Senior Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century
by Michael Whitby Richard H. Gimblett Peter HaydonThe Admirals: Canada’s Senior Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century fills an important void in the history of Canada’s navy. Those who carry the burden of high command have a critical niche in not only guiding the day-to-day concerns of running an armed service but in ensuring that it is ready to face the challenges of the future. Canada’s leading naval historians present analytical articles on the officers who led the navy from its foundation in 1910 to the unification in 1968. Six former Maritime Commanders provide personal reflections on command. The result is a valuable biographical compendium for anyone interested in the history of the Canadian Navy, the Canadian Forces, or military and naval leadership in general.
The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea
by Walter R. BornemanHow history's only five-star admirals triumphed in World War II and made the United States the world's dominant sea power. Only four men in American history have been promoted to the five-star rank of Admiral of the Fleet: William Leahy, Ernest King, Chester Nimitz, and William Halsey. These four men were the best and the brightest the navy produced, and together they led the U. S. navy to victory in World War II, establishing the United States as the world's greatest fleet. In THE ADMIRALS, award-winning historian Walter R. Borneman tells their story in full detail for the first time. Drawing upon journals, ship logs, and other primary sources, he brings an incredible historical moment to life, showing us how the four admirals revolutionized naval warfare forever with submarines and aircraft carriers, and how these men-who were both friends and rivals-worked together to ensure that the Axis fleets lay destroyed on the ocean floor at the end of World War II.
The Advent of the All-Volunteer Force: Protecting Free Society (Critical Moments in American History)
by William A. TaylorThis book examines the extensive influence of the All-Volunteer Force (AVF) on the past, present, and future of America, demonstrating how the AVF encompasses the most significant issues of military history and defense policy. Throughout the vast majority of its wars during the twentieth century, the United States relied on a mixture of volunteers who chose to serve and conscripts provided through the Selective Service System, known colloquially as the draft. When the United States emerged as a world superpower in the aftermath of World War II, U.S. policymakers also depended on the draft during peacetime. Drawing on primary source documents, this book guides readers through the transition from the draft to the AVF and analyzes its history, results, challenges, and implications. Each chapter provides an overview of the issues of the time, recounts the ensuing debates and developments around them, and examines how they manifested themselves relative to the advent of the AVF and American society during times of peace and war. Combining narrative with documents, The Advent of the All-Volunteer Force is a valuable resource for students, scholars, policymakers, and general readers interested in modern American history, military history, and the dynamic linkages between policy, politics, and American society.
The Adventures and Inventions of Stewart Blacker: Soldier, Aviator, Weapons Inventor
by Barnaby BlackerStewart Blacker was a remarkable figure. His inventions were used with significant effect both in WW1 and WW2. Most notable of these was the synchronised machine gun, attached to fighter planes that could fire through the propeller. He also designed the PIAT anti tank weapon which was used with dramatic effect during WW2, from Normandy until the end of the war. The book argues that with less obstruction from officialdom, the PIAT could have been ready at the start of the war to stop Blitzkreig in its tracks.As an aviation pioneer, flying (and crashing) planes soon after the Wright Brothers, he found himself in charge his Majestys Air Force at the outset of WW1. Later after having seen the awful slaughter occurring in the trenches and feeling guilty he had chosen the easy option, he joined up with his old regiment and fought at Neuve Chapelle until he was injured in 1917. During the interwar years he continued to fly and develop weapons and was the first man to fly over the top of Everest.
The Adventures of Arabella Ashby: Arabella of Mars, Arabella and the Battle of Venus, and Arabella the Traitor of Mars (The Adventures of Arabella Ashby)
by David D. LevineFollow the nineteenth-century interplanetary adventures of a fearless steampunk space warrior in this full-trilogy collection. A teenage girl enters the fray of the Napoleonic Wars in space in this enthralling series &“for young and young-at-heart readers who will enjoy a retro-flavored science fiction read&” (Fantasy Literature). This complete collection includes: Arabella of Mars Forced by her mother to enter London society on Earth, sixteen-year-old Arabella must disguise herself as a boy to gain passage on an airship and foil a deadly plot against her brother back on her home planet of Mars. Arabella and the Battle of Venus When her fiancé is taken as a prisoner of war on Venus—the very planet where the exiled Napoleon has fled—Arabella embarks on a spacefaring rescue mission filled with pirates, espionage, and cosmic combat. Arabella the Traitor of Mars Arabella and her husband are lauded as heroes in England, having defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Venus. But a new mission will pit Arabella&’s love and loyalty for her home planet of Mars against the most powerful realm in the universe. Praise for the Adventures of Arabella Ashby trilogy &“If Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, and Patrick O&’Brien had sat down together to compose a tale to amuse Jane Austen, the result might be Arabella of Mars. So. Much. Fun!&” —Madeleine E. Robins, author of the Sarah Tolerance Regency mysteries &“A fanciful romp through a cosmic 1812 . . . A treat for steampunk fantasy fans.&” —Library Journal (starred review)
The Adventures of Colonel Daffodil
by Roy RedgraveMajor General Sir Roy Redgrave has enjoyed an unusual, some might say eccentric, life. Born into the same family as the well known actors, he was brought up in Romania as part of a thriving international community before he joined the British Army and advanced to high rank.Following on from the success of his memoir Balkan Blue the author has pulled together a superb pot pourri of anecdotes covering his family, his military career and post-retirement travels and experiences. Readers will delight in the scope of this book which ranges widely from aristocratic life in feudal Romania to the dangers an intrigue of the Cold War; from the charm of French rural life to Franz Josef Land and encounters with polar bears, walruses and seals. We travel with this intrepid man from Kathmandu to Lhasa where he lived with impoverished Tibetans whose generosity and friendliness made the discomfort of primitive living at such altitudes disappear.These and other extraordinary experiences made this a fascinating read.
The Adventures of Jack Lark: the Jack Lark omnibus
by Paul Fraser CollardThe first three Victorian military adventures featuring hero Jack Lark, now available together in ebook. If you love Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, Matthew Harffy and Patrick O'Brian, you won't want to miss Paul Fraser Collard's action-packed series.INTRODUCING ROGUISH HERO JACK LARK: SOLDIER, LEADER, IMPOSTER.'Brilliant' BERNARD CORNWELL'Once again, Paul Fraser Collard proves he is a true master of action adventure' MATTHEW HARFFY'Like all the best vintages Jack Lark has aged to perfection. Scarred, battered and bloody, his story continues to enthral' ANTHONY RICHES_________THE SCARLET THIEFCrimean Peninsula, 1854. The men of the King's Royal Fusiliers are in terrible trouble. Young officer Jack Lark has to act immediately and decisively. His life and the success of the campaign depend on it. But does he have the mettle, the officer qualities that are the life blood of the British Army?From a poor background in London's East End, Lark has risen through the ranks by stealth and guile and now he faces the ultimate test...THE MAHARAJAH'S GENERALBombay, 1856. Jack Lark barely survived the Battle of the Alma. In hospital, wounded, and with his stolen life left lying on the battlefield, he grasps a chance to prove himself a leader once more. Poor Captain Danbury is dead, but Jack will travel to his new regiment in India, under his name.Exposed as a fraud, he's rescued by the chaplain's beautiful daughter, who has her own reasons to escape. They seek desperate refuge with the Maharajah of Sawadh, the charismatic leader whom the British Army must subdue. And, in return for his safety, Jack finds he must train the very army the British may soon have to fight...THE DEVIL'S ASSASSINBombay, 1857. Jack Lark is living precariously as an officer when his heroic but fraudulent past is discovered by the Devil - Major Ballard, the army's intelligence officer. Ballard is gathering a web of information to defend the British Empire, and he needs a man like Jack on his side. Not far away, in Persia, the Shah is moving against British territory and, with the Russians whispering in his ear, seeks to conquer the crucial city of Herat. As the British march to war, Jack learns that secrets crucial to the campaign's success are leaking into their enemies' hands. Ballard has brought him to the battlefield to end a spy's deceit. But who is the traitor?_________READERS LOVE THE JACK LARK SERIES:'Jack Lark is one of my favourite literary creations' 5* Reader Review'Up there with the best of the genre' 5* Reader Review'Collard's development of Lark is brilliant' 5* Reader Review'This truly is edge of the seat writing' 5* Reader Review'A breathless, memorable read and I recommend it completely' 5* Reader Review'SO good. Redcoats, gunpowder, and the horror of battle. Anyone who read Sharpe should devour this . . . A masterclass of grit and determination' 5* Reader Review'WOW. This is a very fast paced story that I found incredibly difficult to put down . . . If you like Victorian novels especially military ones, this series is definitely for you' 5* Reader Review
The Adventures of Sir Samuel White Baker: Victorian Hero
by M. J. TrowSir Samuel White Baker is one of those larger-than-life heroes only the Victorians could invent. For too long, the British Empire has been denigrated and equated with arrogance at best and racial bigotry at worst. Samuel Baker transcends that. He was an explorer and naturalist, recording new species on his many travels; a big game hunter with huge expertise across continents; an engineer of skill and ingenuity; a general of ability; an administrator second to none; and an ardent opponent of African slavery. M. J. Trow, in this the first biography of Baker for twenty years, draws heavily on Bakers prolific writings to bring the extraordinary character of this Victorian adventurer and his achievements to life.
The Adventures of Thomas Williams of St. Ives, Cornwall: A Prisoner Of War In France, 1804-1814 (1901)
by Thomas WilliamsThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. An oft-forgotten number of British sailors, soldiers and merchantmen were taken prisoner during the long years of the Napoleonic Wars. Ranging from men such as Captain Moyle Sherer, who was captured in 1813, suffering less than a year of imprisonment, to Thomas Williams, who was captured only a year into the conflict. Thomas Williams was a sailor on a merchant ship and was captured after his ship lost its convoy en route to England. Williams left his memoir of his ten years in French captivity: ranging from mistreatment at the hands of his captors to his numerous escape attempts and the various characters he fell in with. A witty reminiscence on what was clearly a dark time for him, enlivened by a good sense of humour. Title - The Adventures of Thomas Williams of St. Ives, Cornwall Sub-Title - Who was a Prisoner of War in France from March 1804 to May 1814. Author -- Thomas Williams (1787-1862) Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in 1901, London, by Brentford Printing & Publishing Co. Original - 88 pages. Illustrations -- 3 Illustrations.
The Aeronaut: A Steampunk Tale of World War I
by Bryan YoungAn American soldier in WWI France flies a jetpack over no man&’s land in this steampunk historical adventure of action, espionage, and romance. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Europe is in the grip of bitter and bloody war. Computational machinery has allowed great technological leaps on both sides—making trench warfare even deadlier for soldiers at the front. Some men fight to defend their homeland. But Robert Preston flees America and joins the French Army to escape heartbreak. Placed in the elite 5th Aeronautic Corps, he learns to use high-tech jetpacks to leap over trenches—and the deadly no man&’s land between them. It&’s a dangerous job with a low survival rate, but Preston is determined to make a difference. There, he meets a man he calls his best friend, and a woman he believes is the love of his life. But a top-secret mission behind enemy lines, and a heart full of jealousy, threatens to tear the three of them apart forever.
The Aesthetics of Resistance, Volume III: A Novel, Volume 3
by Peter WeissA major literary event, the publication of the final volume of Peter Weiss’s three-volume novel The Aesthetics of Resistance makes one of the towering works of twentieth-century German literature available to English-speaking readers for the first time. Weiss’s crowning achievement, The Aesthetics of Resistance spans the period from the late 1930s to the end of World War II, dramatizing antifascist resistance and the rise and fall of proletarian political parties in Europe.Volume III, initially published in 1981, teems with characters, many of whom are based on historical figures. It commences in May of 1940, as the narrator’s parents flee Nazi forces in Eastern Europe and reunite with their son in Sweden. While in Stockholm, the narrator and other Communist activists living in exile struggle to build structures in the German underground. The story then follows Communist resistance fighter Charlotte Bischoff as she is smuggled to Bremen on a freighter. In Berlin, she contacts the narrator’s friends and joins the Red Orchestra resistance group. Soon, the Gestapo cracks the underground group’s code, arrests a number of its members, and takes them to Plötzensee Prison, where most of them are executed. Featuring the narrator’s meditations on paintings, sculpture, and literature throughout, The Aesthetics of Resistance demonstrates the affinity between political resistance and art. Ultimately, Weiss argues that we must look to art for new models of political action and social understanding.
The Affair at Honey Hill
by Berry FlemingWhile Berry Fleming's interest in history has produced two books of non-fiction, one of which dealt with the Civil War (Autobiography of a City in Arms), The Affair at Honey Hill marks the first time he has used the Civil War as a setting for any of his novels. The story is presented through the eyes of Edwin Daws, a 56 year old Confederate soldier, from his present day (winter, 1864) awareness, as well as his memories, both recent and past. Assigned with his militia company, The Silver Grays, to repel an assault on the railroad leading into Savannah near Honey Hill Plantation, he recalls the month he spent there 18 years earlier, working as a scribe for the Reverend Trezevant Ferebee, and of his growing love for the Reverend's enigmatic daughter-in-law, Julia. What is to become of them now with Sherman's forces moving fast to attack the city? Where is Julia? Can he find her in all this desperate confusion and extricate her? The Affair at Honey Hill is a tight and graphic narrative of human beings--civilians and soldiers--caught in the stress of war and defeat, ripe with the sounds and smells and textures of loves and battles, of opportunities lost and gained, and of hard moral decisions.
The Affair at Néry: 1 September 1914 (Battleground Early Battles 1914)
by Patrick TakleEarly on 1 September 1914, the Germans surprised 1st Cavalry Brigade harboring in the little town of Nry. Their initial bombardment caused chaos and destruction and the British took time to organize themselves. The actions of two batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery were eventually so successful that even today there is a battery known as Nry Battery RHA. The Queens Bays a cavalry regiment, charged in classic style and the Germans, who mistakenly thought they were out numbered, withdrew with heavy casualties.Of the three VCs, two were posthumous.While a small engagement by later Great War standards, Nry is a classic case study of an artillery duel and cavalry action.
The Affair of the Brains
by Anthony GilmoreHawk Carse himself goes to keep Judd the Kite's rendezvous with the sinister genius Ku Sui.
The Affair: A Jack Reacher Novel (Jack Reacher #16)
by Lee Child#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Don&’t miss the hit streaming series Reacher! &“A veritable tour de force . . . brilliantly executed and deliciously plotted.&”—The Washington TimesEverything starts somewhere. For elite military cop Jack Reacher, that somewhere was Carter Crossing, Mississippi, way back in 1997. Reacher is ordered undercover to investigate the murder of a young woman. Evidence points to a U.S. soldier with powerful friends. Once in Carter Crossing, Reacher meets local sheriff Elizabeth Deveraux, who has a thirst for justice and an appetite for secrets. Uncertain they can trust each other, they reluctantly join forces. Reacher works to uncover the truth, while others try to bury it forever. The conspiracy threatens to shatter his faith in his mission— and turn him into a man to be feared.
The Afghan Papers: Committing Britain to War in Helmand, 2005–06 (Whitehall Papers #Vol. 77)
by Michael ClarkeIn 2006, British forces entered the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in what would become one of the defining military campaigns of the decade. At great cost in blood and treasure, the UK waged a protracted counter-insurgency against a resurgent Taliban. But how was the decision taken to commit Britain to such a difficult and drawn out campaign? The Afghan Papers is the result of private interviews with and frank contributions by some of the most important actors in the fateful decision. Former generals, politicians and civil servants contribute to an original RUSI analysis that provides a startling insight into the decision to commit the UK to a war – a decision wracked by conflict, incoherence and confusion.