ABSTRACT
The aim of this volume, reflected in the different contributions, has been to explore the nature of modern war and warfare, mainly in the developing world. The premise, as outlined in the introductory chapter, was that in the existing debate about the nature of war, attention to strategy, with a few exceptions, has been found wanting. It has not only been the strategy of the belligerent parties, often non-state organisations, that has received insufficient attention but also the strategies pursued by the powers that intervene in these armed conflicts that deserve further investigation. Regarding the strategies of the belligerents, this volume has presented several important interpretations. Not only can these strategies be analysed as either insurgency or conventional war; suggestions have been made to view them as a completely new type of war. The warring organisations, such as those in the Balkans and in Africa, have been analysed with special attention to aspects such as the role of the (former) state and local practices of war. The operations of the intervening states have also been discussed. Here the different routes to mediation and the use of military instruments have been presented. The question has been asked whether counter-insurgency techniques are the best way to deal with these wars or whether a completely new approach is necessary.
