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Product Identifiers

PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated

ISBN-100198778708

ISBN-139780198778707

eBay Product ID (ePID)219691054

Product Key Features

Number of Pages240 Pages

Publication NameStrategy and Defence Planning : Meeting the Challenge of Uncertainty

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2016

SubjectMilitary / Strategy, General

TypeTextbook

Subject AreaPolitical Science, History

AuthorColin S. Gray

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.5 in

Item Weight13.1 Oz

Item Length9.2 in

Item Width6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceScholarly & Professional

Reviews'The book provides a brilliantly insightful picture of how the MOD works, a complex system where the interplay between military officers, politicians and civil servants demands constant consultation and adjustment in the search for consensus . . . this book should be read and digested widely.'Wing Commander Mal Craghill, RAF Centre for Air Power Studies Reading List'an admirable addition to the theory of strategy.'Major Nathan K. Finney, Parameters'This is an important book, because it raises questions about many of the assumptions and processes on which western defence planning is based.'General H.R. McMaster, War, Conflict and the Military, "This is an important book, because it raises questions about many of the assumptions and processes on which western defence planning is based." -Survival: Global Politics & Strategy, "Strategy specialist Colin Gray delivers an excellent discussion illustrating how history, politics and military means all intertwine during defence planning in his work Strategy & Defence Planning: Meeting the Challenge of Uncertainty. One of the works true strengths is the constant reference to other strategic contributors. Clausewitz and Thucydide's foundational works, On War and The History of Peloponnesian War are constantly referenced. In addition, Schelling's texts, The Strategy of Conflict and Arms and Influence play a central role supporting overall concepts." -Lt Col Mark T. Peters, USAF "This is an important book, because it raises questions about many of the assumptions and processes on which western defence planning is based." -Survival: Global Politics & Strategy

Dewey Edition23

Dewey Decimal355.02

Table Of ContentIntroduction1. Defining the Challenge: Preparation, Not (Only) Plans2. A Strategic Approach3. Historical Context: (1) The Great Stream of Time4. Historical Context: (2) Patterns for Anticipation5. Political Process and Defence Planning6. Guidance for Defence Planning7. Between Prudence and ParanoiaAppendixBibliographyIndex

SynopsisStrategy and Defence Planning: Meeting the Challenge of Uncertaint y explores and examines why and how security communities prepare purposefully for their future defence. The author explains that defence planning is the product of interplay among political process, historical experience, and the logic of strategy. The theory of strategy best reveals both the nature and the working of defence planning. Political 'ends', strategic 'ways', and military 'means' all fed by reigning, if not always recognized, assumptions, organize the subject well with a template that can serve any time, place, and circumstance. The book is designed to help understanding of what can appear to be a forbiddingly complex as well as technical subject. A good part of the problem for officials charged with defence planning duties is expressed in the second part of the book's title. The real difficulty, which rarely is admitted by those tasked with defence planning duty, is that defence planning can only be guesswork. But, because defence preparation is always expensive, not untypically is politically unpopular, yet obviously can be supremely important, claims to knowledge about the truly unknowable persist. In truth, we cannot do defence planning competently, because our ignorance of the future precludes understanding of what our society will be shown by future events to need. The challenge faced by the author was to identify ways in which our problems with the inability to know the future in any detail in advance-the laws of nature, in other words-may best be met and mitigated. Professor Gray argues that our understanding of human nature, of politics, and of strategic history, does allow us to make prudent choices in defence planning that hopefully will prove 'good enough'., Strategy and Defence Planning: Meeting the Challenge of Uncertainty explores and examines why and how security communities prepare purposefully for their future defence. Professor Gray argues that our understanding of human nature, of politics, and of strategic history, does allow us to make prudent choices in defence planning., Strategy and Defence Planning: Meeting the Challenge of Uncertainty explores and examines why and how security communities prepare purposefully for their future defence. The author explains that defence planning is the product of interplay among political process, historical experience, and the logic of strategy. The theory of strategy best reveals both the nature and the working of defence planning. Political 'ends', strategic 'ways', and military 'means' all fed by reigning, if not always recognized, assumptions, organize the subject well with a template that can serve any time, place, and circumstance. The book is designed to help understanding of what can appear to be a forbiddingly complex as well as technical subject.A good part of the problem for officials charged with defence planning duties is expressed in the second part of the book's title. The real difficulty, which rarely is admitted by those tasked with defence planning duty, is that defence planning can only be guesswork. But, because defence preparation is always expensive, not untypically is politically unpopular, yet obviously can be supremely important, claims to knowledge about the truly unknowable persist. In truth, we cannot do defence planning competently, because our ignorance of the future precludes understanding of what our society will be shown by future events to need. The challenge faced by the author was to identify ways in which our problems with the inability to know the future in any detail in advance-the laws of nature, in other words-may best be met and mitigated. Professor Gray argues that our understanding of human nature, of politics, and of strategic history, does allow us to make prudent choices in defence planning that hopefully will prove 'good enough'., Strategy and Defence Planning: Meeting the Challenge of Uncertainty explores and examines why and how security communities prepare purposefully for their future defence. The author explains that defence planning is the product of interplay among political process, historical experience, and the logic of strategy. The theory of strategy best reveals both the nature and the working of defence planning. Political "ends", strategic "ways", and military "means" all fed by reigning, if not always recognized, assumptions, organize the subject well with a template that can serve any time, place, and circumstance. The book is designed to help understanding of what can appear to be a forbiddingly complex as well as technical subject.A good part of the problem for officials charged with defence planning duties is expressed in the second part of the book's title. The real difficulty, which rarely is admitted by those tasked with defence planning duty, is that defence planning can only be guesswork. But, because defence preparation is always expensive, not untypically is politically unpopular, yet obviously can be supremely important, claims to knowledge about the truly unknowable persist. In truth, we cannot do defence planning competently, because our ignorance of the future precludes understanding of what our society will be shown by future events to need. The challenge faced by the author was to identify ways in which our problems with the inability to know the future in any detail in advance-the laws of nature, in other words-may best be met and mitigated. Professor Gray argues that our understanding of human nature, of politics, and of strategic history, does allow us to make prudent choices in defence planning that hopefully will prove 'good enough'.

LC Classification NumberU162