Books in the Hoover Studies in Politics, Economics, and Society series

In the blink of an eye, liberal democracy''s moment of triumph was darkened by new threats, challenges, and doubts. Rejecting the view that liberal democracy''s twentieth-century victory was inevitable, distinguished student of war Azar Gat argues that it largely rested on contingent factors and was more doubtful than has been assumed. The world''s liberal democracies, with the United States at the forefront, face new and baffling security threats, with the return of capitalist nondemocratic great powersΓÇöChina and RussiaΓÇöand the continued threat of unconventional terror. The democratic peace, or near absence of war among themselves, is a unique feature of liberal democracies'' foreign policy behavior. Arguing that this is merely one manifestation of much more sweeping and less recognized pacifist tendencies typical of liberal democracies, Gat offers a panoramic view of their distinctive way in conflict and war. His book provides a politically and strategically vital understanding of the peculiar strengths and vulnerabilities that liberal democracy brings to the formidable challenges ahead. Published in cooperation with the Hoover Institution

Warrant for Terror examines fatwas, which are legal opinions declaring whether a given act under Islam is obligatory, permitted, or forbidden and which serve as a major instrument by which religious leaders impel believers to engage in acts of jihad.

Analyzing various decisions made by the Director of National Intelligence and examining in detail, issues from Hurricane Katrina to the national security computer networks, this book demonstrates the dangers of an overly centralized intelligence system. It also offers clear ideas for reform that go beyond risky organizational changes.