The War Manual: A Layperson's Guide to Understanding War, Violent Conflict, and the Global Power Structure

This guide will provide the reader with the basic tools needed to become an analyst. Readers may be able to predict the outcome of world events, land a job in security and analysis, protect their investments in conflict zones, and discover the complexities of themselves and others.

This book was written so that anyone can understand the complex issues surrounding war and violent conflict. Security studies and international politics are often reserved for the classroom, the briefing room, or in articles that are so full of academic jargon it is no wonder so many people become disinterested. The goal of this book is to help the reader to understand where conflicts are occurring, what they look like, and most importantly, why conflicts occur.

Every conflict is unique. Each conflict is located in a specific geographic location (or locations), involves varying cultures, identities, religions, political leanings, and ideologies, and affects the lives of those unfortunate enough to be caught in them. Everyday the media reports headlines that read, “30 killed in clashes in (a war-torn country)” but context is rarely given. If the news media is going to report a situation in which people have become so conflicted that they are killing each other on a large scale, an explanation is required.

Staying appraised of world affairs and understanding the who, what, where, why, when, and how of wars and conflicts will help keep readers both knowledgeable and prepared for future circumstances. This book is designed for those who are familiar with war, security, and the social sciences, as well as individuals who have no familiarity at all.

Also, this book contains a special analytical section about the War in Syria. The analysis explains why the United States and its allies are having such a difficult time convincing the international community to intervene in Syria, while intervention in Libya was significantly less challenging. Further, the analysis explains both Russia and France’s unique interests in Syria. Finally, the Shiite-Sunni division, an essential piece of knowledge to consider when studying the Middle East, is explained in detail.