Nature Of War In Information Age: Clausewitzian Future

Description:
There has been a great deal of speculation recently concerning the likely impact of the 'Information Age' on warfare. In this vein, much of the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) literature subscribes to the idea that the Information Age will witness a transformation in the very nature of war. In this book, David Lonsdale puts that notion to the test. Using a range of contexts, the book sets out to look at whether the classical Clausewitzian theory of the nature of war will retain its validity in this new age. The analysis covers the character of the future battlespace, the function of command, and the much-hyped concept of Strategic Information Warfare. Finally, the book broadens its perspective to examine the nature of 'Information Power' and its implications for geopolitics. Through an assessment of both historical and contemporary case studies (including the events following September 11 and the recent war in Iraq), the author concludes that although the future will see many changes to the conduct of warfare, the nature of war, as given theoretical form by Clausewitz, will remain essentially unchanged. However, the author also believes that strategic theory cannot stand still and, consequently, while extolling the virtues of Clausewitz, the book also explores the merits of more recent works, including those written in the Information Age. David Lonsdale concludes that Clausewitz's seminal On War can therefore usefully be supplemented by modern works of theory. This book explains why having an understanding of the nature of war is so important to those responsible for the practice of strategy.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1. Classical Strategic Thought and the Nature of War 2. The Future Battlespace 3. Future Command and the Fate of Military Genius 4. How Strategic is Strategic Information Warfare? 5. Information Power: Strategy, geopolitics and the fifth dimension 6. Concluding Thoughts: A Clausewitzian future Bibliography