"The Online Resource Centre that accompanies this book provides students and instructors with ready-to-use teaching and learning materials. These resources are free of charge and designed to maximise the learning experience" -- p. [xvi].

Includes bibliographical references (p. [373]-383) and index.

Introduction / John Baylis and James J. Wirtz -- The causes of war and the conditions of peace / John Garnett -- The evolution of modern warfare / Michael Sheehan -- Strategic theory / Thomas G. Mahnken -- Strategic culture / Jeffrey S. Lantis and Darryl Howlett -- Law, politics, and the use of force / Justin Morris -- Geography and strategy / Daniel Moran -- Technology and warfare / Eliot Cohen -- Irregular warfare : terrorism and insurgency / James D. Kiras -- Strategy for a new world : combating terrorism and transnational organized crime / Phil Williams -- The second nuclear age : nuclear weapons in the twenty-first century / C. Dale Walton and Colin S. Gray -- The control of weapons of mass destruction / John Baylis and Mark Smith -- Conventional power and contemporary warfare / John Ferris -- Iraq, Afghanistan, and American military transformation / Stephen Biddle -- Homeland security : a new strategic paradigm / Jacob N. Shapiro and Rudolph P. Darken -- Humanitarian intervention and peace operations / Theo Farrell -- A new agenda for security and strategy? / James J. Wirtz -- The future of strategic studies / Lawrence Freedman.

"The second edition of this successful textbook has been completely revised and updated in light of 9/11. In the aftermath of the attacks, there has been an increased need to address issues of war and peace, particularly terrorism, irregular warfare, the spread of weapons of mass destruction and the revolution in military affairs. The new edition contains a mature set of reflections on the role of military power in the contemporary world. It analyzes recent conflicts from Afghanistan to the Iraq War and looks at the ongoing debates about the lessons that can be learned from these wars. Particular attention is given to the debates about whether there has been a revolution in military affairs given the phenomenal pace of innovation in electronics and computer systems. Its considerable coverage of issues of war and peace makes it the major strategic studies textbook. The book is supported by an Online Resource Centre. Student resources: Web links Multiple Choice Questions. Lecturer resources: Additional case studies on different conflicts with video clips Power Point slides Test Bank." -- Preface.