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Indian Foreign and Security Policy in South Asia: Regional Power Strategies   Written by: Sandra Destradi, Routledge, 2012, ISBN 9780415721240, 200pp   Reviewed by: Ash Khan India is mentioned in foreign policy circles almost exclusively in three contexts: as an emerging great power, as Pakistan’s perennial enemy, and as China’s long-term challenger. This makes Sandra Destradi’s book, Indian Foreign and Security Policy in South Asia: Regional Power Strategies , a rare book that seeks to illuminate India’s …

Uncommon Soldier: The Story of the Making of Today’s Diggers   Written by: Chris Masters, Allen & Unwin, 2012, ISBN 9781741759716, 400pp   Reviewed by: Iain Henry, Australian National University Australia’s military involvement in Afghanistan now represents the longest conflict in our nation’s history, yet the tactical and operational details of that involvement are often denied to the public. In May 2013, Defence allowed operational commanders to brief the media on a series of engagements that took place …

Anthropologists in the SecurityScape: Ethics, Practice and Professional Identity   Written by: Robert Albro, George E. Marcus, Laura A. McNamara, and Monica Schoch-Spana (eds), Left Coast Press, 2011, ISBN 9781611320138, 277pp   Reviewed by: Scott Flower, University of Melbourne The importance of understanding the social and cultural dimensions of complex operational environments has become more evident to Western militaries through recent counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2006, …

No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden   Written by: Matt Bissonnette (alias Mark Owen), Dutton Adult, 2012, ISBN 9780525953722, 316pp   Reviewed by: Lieutenant Jacob Choi No Easy Day is one of the many stories told in the aftermath of the manhunt for Osama Bin Laden. Although it seeks to clarify some of the misinformed reporting in the days that followed the ‘raid of the 21st century’, the author makes it clear that he had a defined target audience in mind — a …

Total Destruction of the Tamil Tigers   Written by: Paul Moorcraft, Pen and Sword Publishing, 2013, ISBN 9781781591536, 184pp   Reviewed by: Major Chris Buckham Dr Moorcraft has written a very enlightening book about a war that received, relatively speaking, little to no coverage in the West; nor has it been the subject of much post-war attention. The conflict between the minority Tamils of northern Sri Lanka and the majority Sinhalese lasted 26 years from 1983 until 2009. A mixture of asymmetric and …

Journey to Peace: A True Story of Forgiveness and Reconcilliation   Written by: Adam Joe Lawton, Troubador Publishing, 2012, ISBN 9781780883182, 284pp   Reviewed by: Captain Andy Brayshaw In April 1982 when Argentina invaded the British overseas territory of the Falkland Islands, Adam Joe Lawton was a 17-year-old junior seaman serving on HMS Sheffield, a type 42 destroyer. At that time, Sheffield was on her way home following protection duties in the Iran-Iraq war. With the invasion of the Falklands, …

… our leaders … do their troops a disservice by not studying (studying, vice just reading) the [warfighters] who have gone before us. We have been fighting on this planet for 5,000 years and we should take advantage of their experience. ‘Winging’ it and filling body bags as we sort out what works reminds us of the moral dictates and the cost of competence in our profession. - Major General (later General) James N. Mattis, USMC, 2004 1 This review essay argues the case for the reinvigoration of education in …

Abstract Threat forces are becoming increasingly familiar with the capabilities of information and communications technology devices. Given their ability to store and rapidly disseminate data and information, these devices will only become more prevalent in the battlespace. While they have been exploited as methods of intelligence- gathering and within intelligence-led operations, little attention has been paid to the potential use of digital evidence in the prosecution of offenders. This article will …

Abstract Army’s incremental approach to the ingress of women into combat roles is arguably incompatible with its objective of achieving increased operational capability. This approach will also take too long to make a meaningful contribution to operational capability. This article argues that Army should consider altering its current approach by raising a predominantly female infantry battalion instead of relying on an incremental model. This would deliver a more tangible capability in a shorter time-frame …

Abstract Recent operations would have us believe that Combat Service Support (CSS) personnel have not previously been required to protect themselves. On closer examination it seems that throughout history, support services of armies have been targeted by enemy forces. These lessons are somewhat conveniently forgotten as armies only equip and train their fighting echelons for close combat while largely ignoring the requirement in CSS units. Contemporary and past operations have demonstrated that danger is …