{"product_id":"first-strike-matthew-j-flynn-9780415958455","title":"First Strike: Preemptive War in Modern History","description":"\u003cp\u003ePreemptive warfare is the practice of attempting to avoid an enemy's seemingly imminent attack by taking military action against them first. It is undertaken in self-defense. Preemptive war is often confused with \u003cem\u003epreventive war\u003c\/em\u003e, which is an attack launched to defeat a potential opponent and is an act of aggression. Preemptive war is thought to be justified and honorable, while preventive war violates international law. In the real world, the distinction between the two is highly contested.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eFirst Strike\u003c\/em\u003e, Matthew J. Flynn examines case studies of preemptive war throughout history, from Napoleonic France to the American Civil War, and from Hitler's Germany to the recent U.S. invasion of Iraq. Flynn takes an analytical look at the international use of military and political preemption throughout the last two hundred years of western history, to show how George W. Bush's recent use of this dubiously \"honorable\" way of making war is really just the latest of a long line of previously failed attempts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBalanced and historically grounded, \u003cem\u003eFirst Strike\u003c\/em\u003e provides a comprehensive history of one of the most controversial military strategies in the history of international foreign policy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Matthew J. Flynn\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0415958458\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780415958455\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Routledge\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/05\/2008\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.80lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.80h x 5.90w x 0.70d","brand":"Matthew J. Flynn","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48112753279231,"sku":"9780415958455","price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_e0490181-d8d7-4833-b37c-63fe1e22b17e.jpg?v=1769610707","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/first-strike-matthew-j-flynn-9780415958455","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}