Ofer Israeli is a lecturer and senior research fellow in the Institute for Policy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya and a research fellow at the National Security Studies Center, University of Haifa, Israel.

• PrefaceIntroduction: International Relations Theory of WarThe Systemic International Outcomes—Stability of International SystemsThe Intrasystemic International Outcomes—Territorial Expansion of Polar PowersInternational Outcomes: Primary Disputes and CopingWhy Do Wars Break Out? Structural Theoretical ResearchThe Structure of the Book1. War—Theory and Analysis of ResultsOn Powers and WarsSystemic International OutcomesSystemic Factors and International Systems DurabilitySystemic Factors and International Systems StabilityIntrasystemic International OutcomesSystemic Factors and Expansion of Influence of Polar PowersSystemic Factors and Expansion of Influence of Polar Powers at the Ends of Wars2. International Relations Theory of WarBasic Assumptions of the TheoryHypotheses of the Theory Concerning the Two International OutcomesStability of International SystemsDegree of Territorial ExpansionTerritorial Outcomes under Unipolar SystemsTerritorial Outcomes under Bipolar SystemsTerritorial Outcomes under Multipolar SystemsThe Transhistorical PrinciplesAnarchy and the Tendency to HegemoniesAnarchy in the Theoretical Research of International RelationsThe Way Constructivism, Neoliberalism, and Realism Relate to AnarchyStatus Quo, Revisionism, and Aspiration for PowerHomeostasis and Preservation of the SystemHomeostasis in the International SystemHomeostasis in International Systems: Historical ExamplesHomeostasis and Feedback ModelsThe International Relations Theory of War and HomeostasisPolarity of the System: The Independent VariableThe Most Important Player in the International System: The StateGreat Power or Polar PowerPolar Power in the Current StudyBetween Sea Power and Land PowerPossible Polarity ModelsPolarity of the System and International OutcomesSummary of the Principle of the ModelThe Systemic Status of the International Relations Theory of WarThe International Relations Theory of War and Other Key Realist Theories3. Polarity of the System4. How the Research Is Empirically ExaminedSystemic Factors and Stability of International SystemsStability of International Systems—Quantitative ResearchSystemic Factors and the Stability of Multipolar SystemsThe Stability of the Multipolar System, 1849–1870The Stability of the Multipolar System, 1910–1945Systemic Factors and the Stability of Bipolar SystemsThe Stability of the Bipolar System, 1816–1848The Stability of the Bipolar System, 1871–1909The Stability of the Bipolar System, 1946–1991Systemic Factors and the Stability of the Unipolar SystemThe Stability of the Unipolar System, 1992–2016The Stability of International Systems—Qualitative AssessmentStability of International Systems in a Multipolar SystemWars as an Unintended Consequence or Systemic Dictate of the PlayersThe Stability of the Multipolar System, 1849–1870Crimean WarThe Crimean War—Common Explanations for Its OutbreakThe Crimean War—Systemic Causes of Its OutbreakThe Crimean War—Its ConsequencesThe Stability of the Multipolar System, 1910–1945The First World WarSystemic Causes of the Outbreak of the First World WarThe Second World WarSystemic Analysis of the Outbreak of the Second World WarThe Multipolar System, 1910–1945—Summary and ConsequencesStability of International Systems in Bipolar SystemThe Stability of the Bipolar System, 1816–1848, 1871–1909The Stability of the Bipolar System, 1946–1991The Long Peace in the Cold War Period and Its CausesStability of International Systems in Unipolar SystemThe Stability of the Unipolar System, 1992–2016The Unipolar System and American InvolvementPersian Gulf RegionEast Asia RegionMilitary Involvements of the United StatesThe Stability of International Systems—ConclusionsSystemic Factors and Territorial Outcomes of WarsTerritorial Outcomes of Wars of Polar Powers—Quantitative AssessmentTerritorial Outcomes in Multipolar SystemsTerritorial Outcomes in the Multipolar System, 1849–1870Territorial Outcomes in the Multipolar System, 1910–1945Territorial Outcomes in Bipolar SystemsTerritorial Outcomes in the Bipolar System, 1816–1848Territorial Outcomes in the Bipolar System, 1871–1909Territorial Outcomes in the Bipolar System, 1946–1991Territorial Outcomes in Unipolar SystemsTerritorial Outcomes in the Unipolar System, 1992–2016Territorial Outcomes of Wars of Polar Powers—Qualitative AssessmentTerritorial Outcomes in Multipolar SystemsThe Multipolar System, 1849–1870The Crimean War (1853–1856)The Seven Weeks' War between Prussia and Austria (1866)The Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871)The Multipolar System, 1910–1945The First World War (1914–1918)The Second World War (1939–1945)Territorial Outcomes in Bipolar SystemsThe Bipolar System, 1946–1991The U.S.-Korea War (1950–1953)The U.S.-Vietnam War (1968–1975)The Gulf War (1991)Territorial Outcomes in Unipolar SystemsTerritorial Outcomes at the End of the Polar Powers' Wars against Afghanistan"The Great Game" in Central Asia and the Importance of AfghanistanThe First Anglo-Afghan War (1838–1842)Why Did Britain Invade Afghanistan?The InvasionThe Systemic Pressures for the British Pullout from AfghanistanThe British Withdrawal from AfghanistanThe First Anglo-Afghan War and Its ConsequencesThe Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880)Why Did Britain Invade Afghanistan?The InvasionThe Systemic Pressures for the British Pullout from AfghanistanSummary of the First (1838–1842) and Second (1878–1880) Anglo-Afghan WarsThe Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919)Why Did Britain Invade Afghanistan?The InvasionThe Systemic Pressures for the British Pullout from AfghanistanThe Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1988)Why Did the Soviet Union Invade Afghanistan?The Systemic Constraints That Were Employed in the WarThe U.S.-Afghan War (2001)Why Did the United States Invade Afghanistan?The InvasionThe Systemic Pressures for the United States' Departure from AfghanistanThe Prolonged American Presence in AfghanistanThe Consequences of the U.S.-Afghan WarSummary of the Five Wars of Polar Powers against AfghanistanTerritorial Outcomes of the Wars of Polar Powers—Interim Summary5. The Distribution of Power and International Outcomes: ConclusionsInternational Outcomes: Analysis and EvaluationIndex of Stability of International SystemsEstimation of Territorial Outcomes of Wars of Polar PowersA New World Order?Appendix A: The Greatest Powers According to the Cow ProjectAppendix B: Interstate War, 1816–2007, According to the Cow ProjectNotesReferencesIndex

In his commendable new book, Ofer Israeli has provided us with a work that is scholarly and reader-friendly, and which makes a valuable contribution to the literature on international relations theory.