Strategy and the National Security Professional: Strategic Thinking and Strategy Formulation in the 21st Century

(Hardback)

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Description

The twenty-first century security environment is both promising for and threatening to the national security interests of the nation state. Policymakers and professionals within governmental departments and agencies, both civilian and military, who are responsible for protecting and advancing the interests of the United States, are confronted with a strategic environment that is much more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous than that faced by their twentieth-century predecessors. Strategy and the National Security Professional: Strategic Thinking and Strategy Formulation in the 21st Century is meant to be a single-source reference for national security professionals, political appointees in the security realm, and others who participate in the formulation, evaluation, and execution of strategy, in addition to those who study and follow national security debates. The book does not propose a new strategy or critique current strategy; rather, it offers a perspective and process for disciplined strategic thought in regard to all strategy. It is thorough in its explanation of the nature of the strategic environment, offering a clear and comprehensive theory of strategy and a practical framework for thinking about this environment and formulating effective strategy. Written from a U.S. perspective, it helps the reader understand both the internal and external aspects of the strategic environment that make strategy formulation and execution so difficult for the nation state, particularly in a democracy. With the proper environmental assessment and appraisal, it argues, the key strategic factors can be identified and appropriate strategy can be formulated in a rational expression of ends, ways, and means. The book then moves to demonstrate to the reader how to develop and clearly articulate the objectives, concepts, and resources in strategy, as well as how to avoid common errors and pitfalls in strategy formulation. Fiannly, it offers practical tests for determining the validity of a particular strategy and ways in which to consider and articulate risk. While the book is focused on the national security practitioner, it has application to the student in international relations or national security studies who seeks a career in national service.

Reviews

This short, densely packed, incisive book should be read by all policy makers and those who would guide them. Looking at strategic theory, strategic thinking, and strategy formation in turn, Yarger (US Army College) captures the inherent richness and interconnected complexities of the strategic intellectual and practice space in the 21st century This is an important book. Highly recommended. * Choice *
concise yet conceptually rich bookthis is a book that deserves the attention and relatively modest investment of time that readers should give it, because the return on that investment is high. In the end, Yarger accomplishes two very important objectives. First, practitioners and students of national security affairs will find Strategy and the National Security Professional a very useful and informative treatment of a complex but vitally important subject matter. Second, Yarger brings a vast volume of dispersed and wide-ranging material together in a reasonably concise, single source, thereby ensuring easy access to important thought and material.military and civilian alike, and faculty and students in graduate-level, practitioner-oriented national security programs should find it a most welcome addition to the literature. The author ultimately succeeds in delivering an accessible, informative, and thought-provoking bookYarger makes an important contribution to the field with this synthesis of a broad and complex topic in a concise and useful format. * Parameters *

Author Bio

Harry R. Yarger is Professor of National Security Policy, U.S. Army War College. He is the author of Strategic Theory for the 21st Century: The Little Book on Big Strategy (2006), Theory and Nature of War (1997), and Strategy and Its Theorists (1997). He received his Ph.D. from Temple University.