Kirjahaku

This book examines Pakistan's strategies in the war against Islamist armed groups that began late 2001, following the 9/11 attacks. The significance of the war inside Pakistan can hardly be understated. Starting in the tribal territories adjacent to Afghanistan, Pakistan’s war has come to engulf the majority of the country through a brutal campaign of suicide bombings. Thousands of Pakistani lives have been lost and the geostrategic balance of the region has been thrown into deep uncertainty. Pakistan's War on Terrorism is an account of a decade-long war following the 9/11 attacks, that is yet to be chronicled in systematic fashion as a campaign of military manoeuvre and terrorist reprisal. It is also an analytic account of Pakistan’s strategic calculus during this time, both in military and political terms, and how these factors have been filtered by Pakistan’s unique strategic culture. This text will be of great interest to students of Asian Politics, Terrorism and Political Violence, and Security Studies in general.

This book examines Pakistan's strategies in the war against Islamist armed groups that began late 2001, following the 9/11 attacks. The significance of the war inside Pakistan can hardly be understated. Starting in the tribal territories adjacent to Afghanistan, Pakistan’s war has come to engulf the majority of the country through a brutal campaign of suicide bombings. Thousands of Pakistani lives have been lost and the geostrategic balance of the region has been thrown into deep uncertainty. Pakistan's War on Terrorism is an account of a decade-long war following the 9/11 attacks, that is yet to be chronicled in systematic fashion as a campaign of military manoeuvre and terrorist reprisal. It is also an analytic account of Pakistan’s strategic calculus during this time, both in military and political terms, and how these factors have been filtered by Pakistan’s unique strategic culture. This text will be of great interest to students of Asian Politics, Terrorism and Political Violence, and Security Studies in general.

What constitutes an effective and realistic strategy for dealing with non-state armed groups? This question has bedevilled states the world over. From Colombia and FARC, Turkey and the PKK, the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the persistent insurgency in Iraq – the governments concerned struggle to either fight or negotiate their way to an end. Fighting armed groups is an uncertain business, and so is negotiating. Doing both alternately, concurrently or selectively, is highly demanding. This book develops a framework to help analysts and policymakers understand the challenges of using a combination of coercion and diplomacy in dealing with armed groups. It considers which complexities have proved most inhibiting, and which have been worked around. What are the obvious traps that states fall into? What appear to be the smarter moves? Thinking in terms or ‘military’ or ‘political’ solutions is unhelpful – to be genuinely strategic, a response must concern itself with managing the mix. Ten examples from around the world are worked through to examine this theme. The net is cast wide purposefully, so that the lessons for strategy can be made explicit, rather than lost amid a bloody contemporary history of wars involving armed groups.

The must-read book to help you make sense of the world: perfect for fans of Prisoners of Geography, How the World Made the West and Empireland 'Well-informed and very valuable' - International AffairsDonald Trump has been re-elected. The Russia-Ukraine war has entered its fourth year. China's economy is slowing down. Far-right parties and politicians are surging in popularity across Europe.Westlessness by former UK diplomat Dr Samir Puri is here to help make sense of these continual, seismic shifts to the world order. In this book, he vividly demonstrates how in demographic, economic, military and cultural terms, we are hurtling towards a far more diverse global future. Many of our certainties about the present, built on centuries of massive Western global impact, are increasingly fragile. Untold wealth is moving from the West to the East, as nations like India and Indonesia are set to reach new heights of growth and confidence. And China continues its ascent to the peak of the economic mountain - but are cracks appearing? And will the Western world, under the aegis of US global military, economic, technological and cultural power, give up its privileged position willingly?Nothing is linear and nothing is predictable. Are we prepared, personally and professionally, for a far more diverse global future? Prepared or unprepared, Westlessness is our guide to a new world order. ------What readers think:'Insightful and thought-provoking. Highly recommended.' ????? 'Loved this book - a real insight into how the world is changing and gives an interesting glimpse into the future. A great read and would definitely recommend!' ?????'A fascinating book written empathetically that deals with the shifting nature of power (im)balances in the world until now full of sober projections into the future. Westlessness does not take sides, is not alarmist, and is not emotional in any way - yet it deals with the complexity of feelings aroused over issues of identity (both Western and otherwise) and colonial legacy. A must read to understand the often bewildering world we now live in, written as a scholarly book in an accessible tone. ' ?????

What if the sun truly is setting on the Western world's outsized influence over the rest of the planet? In Westlessness, former UK diplomat Dr Samir Puri vividly demonstrates how in demographic, economic, military and cultural terms, we are hurtling into a far more diverse global future. Many of our certainties about the present, built on centuries of massive Western global impact, are increasingly fragile. Untold wealth is moving from the West to the East, as nations like India and Indonesia are set to reach new heights of growth and confidence. And China continues its ascent to the peak of the economic mountain - but are cracks appearing? And will the Western world, under the aegis of US global military, economic, technological and cultural power, give up its privileged position willingly?Nothing is linear and nothing is predictable. Are we prepared, personally and professionally, for a far more diverse global future?Prepared or unprepared, Westlessness is essential reading for us all.

When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, many in the West were left stunned at his act of brutal imperialism. To those who had been paying attention, however, the warning signs of the bloodshed and slaughter to come had been there for years. Tracing the relationship between the two countries from the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 to Putin's invasion in 2022, what emerges from this gripping and accessible book is a portrait of a nation caught in a geopolitical tug of war between Russia and the West. While Russia is identified as the sole aggressor, we see how Western bodies such as the EU and NATO unrealistically raised Ukraine's expectations of membership before dashing them, leaving Ukraine without formal allies and fatally exposed to Russian aggression. As a former international observer, Samir Puri was present for several of the major events covered in this book. He uses this experience to ask honestly: how did we get here? Why does Vladimir Putin view Ukraine as the natural property of Russia? Did the West handle its dealings with these countries prudently? Or did it inflame the tensions left amidst the ruins of the Soviet Union? Were there any missed opportunities to avert the war? And how might this conflict end?

'An exceptional account.' Prospect'Enlightening.' SpectatorFor the first time in millennia we live without formal empires. But that doesn't mean we don't feel their presence rumbling through history. The Great Imperial Hangover examines how the world's imperial legacies are still shaping the thorniest issues we face today. From Russia's incursions in the Ukraine to Brexit; from Trump's 'America-first' policy to China's forays into Africa; from Modi's India to the hotbed of the Middle East, Puri provides a bold new framework for understanding the world's complex rivalries and politics. Organised by region, and covering vital topics such as security, foreign policy, national politics and commerce, The Great Imperial Hangover combines gripping history and astute analysis to explain why the history of empire affects us all in profound ways.