Learning the Lessons of Modern War

Thomas G. Mahnken is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and Senior Research Professor at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at The Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is a prolific author with two previous books from Stanford University Press—Strategy in Asia (2014) and Competitive Strategies for the 21st Century (2012).

• Introduction: Introduction-Thomas G. Mahnken 1. Learning Lessons: The Value of a Contemporary Approach to History-Michael Evans 2. Thoughts on Lessons Learned in the Past-Williamson Murray 3. Lessons of the Iraq War-Peter R. Mansoor 4. Operation Iraqi Freedom: Key Lessons from the British Experience-Ben Barry 5. An Iraqi Military Perspective on the Invasion of 2003-Kevin M. Woods 6. Afghanistan and the Crisis of Counterinsurgency, 2001–2014-Carter Malkasian 7. Britain's War in Afghanistan, 2001–2014-Theo Farrell 8. Raising and Mentoring Security Forces in Afghanistan-T. X. Hammes 9. The Accidental Counterinsurgents: U.S. Performance in Afghanistan-Todd Greentree 10. Lessons of Modern War: A Case Study of the Sri Lankan War-Ahmed S. Hashim 11. Operation Enduring Freedom—Philippines: Lessons Learned from a Special Warfare Approach to Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency-David S. Maxwell 12. Lessons from the War in Georgia-Svante E. Cornell 13. Russian Military Doctrine and Exercises-Phillip A. Petersen 14. Operation Cast Lead: "From Light to Heavy Duty": Israel's Search for Lessons-Scott C. Farquhar 15. An Incomplete Success: Security Assistance in Colombia-Douglas Porch Conclusion: Conclusion-Thomas G. Mahnken

"A famous old military saying suggests that 'amateurs talk about tactics, armchair generals study strategy, but professionals study logistics.' Studying lessons from modern warfare, the volume Learning the Lessons of Modern War, edited by Thomas G. Mahnken, challenges its readers to add a fourth component to this old saying, suggesting that counterinsurgency experts need to study politics."—Ori Swed, Contemporary Sociology