U.S. Military Operations:  Law, Policy, And Practice, edited by Geoffrey S. Corn, Rachel E. VanLandingham, and Shane R. Reeves

When I requested this particular book as a possibility, I wondered if anyone else would choose it.  When reading books like this, size matters, and volumes over 800 pages are not the sort that seem to attract many readers.  At any rate, as a frequent reader of matters of military history as well as policy [1], this is the sort of book that is up my alley and despite its immense length it promises to be full of interesting material at any rate.  This is a book that on its face would appear to involve more the way that the military has to operate within a context of national and international law in the pursuit of its strategic and tactical objectives, and that sort of context is definitely one that I find of great personal interest and enjoy reading more on, even if wielding military power is not something of a goal or expectation in my own life.

In terms of a look at its contents, this book appears not to be divided into larger sections but rather contains a couple dozen essays of mostly considerable length about a wide variety of issues from a variety of contributors.  Issues dealt with include the role of the Judge Advocate General, modern weapons, the legal classification of military operations, theories of just war, cyberspace operations, targeting, rules of engagement and their tactical implementation, detention operations, multinational operations, the relationship of the military with the Red Cross, environmental law, military justice, operations claims, intelligence law, special operations, medical operations, occupation, UN peace operations, maritime interdiction operations, weapons of mass destruction, and defense support of civil authorities during natural and man-made disasters.  Even if the book as a whole is weighty and a somewhat demanding read, the subjects discussed in this book are definitely relevant to contemporary concerns about the use of the military and how it serves the larger interests and follows the ideals of the civilian culture that nourishes and supports the military that ostensibly serves and protects it.  This promises, at the least, to be a very thought-provoking read.

[1] See, for example:

Non-Book Review: The U.S. Naval Institute On Naval Cooperation

Non-Book Review: The U.S. Naval Institute On Naval Tactics

Non-Book Review: China’s Quest For Great Power

Non-Book Review: 21st Century Ellis

Non-Book Review: Fire On The Water