"Mission accomplished," George Bush famously proclaimed in reference to the defeat of Saddam Hussein's military organization. However, as recent events in Iraq have once again demonstrated, it is much easier to start a war than it is to end it. Every War Must End, which Colin Powell credits in his autobiography with having shaped his thinking on how to end the first Gulf War, analyzes the many critical obstacles to ending a war--an aspect of military strategy that is frequently and tragically overlooked. This book explores the difficult and often painful process through which wars in the modern age have been brought to a close and what this process means for the future. Ikle considers a variety of examples from twentieth-century history and examines specific strategies that effectively "won the peace," including the Allied policy in Germany and Japan after World War II. In the new preface to his classic work, Ikle explains how U.S. political decisions and military strategy and tactics in Iraq-the emphasis on punishing Iraqi leaders, not seeking a formal surrender, and the failure to maintain law and order-have delayed, and indeed jeopardized, a successful end to hostilities.

About the Author
Fred Charles Ikle is distinguished scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He was undersecretary of defense for policy in the Reagan administration. He is the author of How Nations Negotiate and lives in Washington, D. C.

Reviews
The reissuing of Ikle's classic is to be welcomed...because it demonstrates how with clear prose, broad knowledge, and a sharp focus, a little book can address a big question. Foreign Affairs



Book Information
ISBN 9780231136679
Author Fred Charles Ikle
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press