Contrary to the expectations of some and the hopes of many, the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War did not bring about an era of peace and stability. Rather, conflict between and within states is commonplace, and threaten to become more violent and dangerous with the spread of unconventional arms and the means to deliver them. Important, even vital, U.S. interests could be jeopardized in such a disorderly world.

As a result, questions of when, where, and how the United States ought to use military force are certain to continue to dominate the U.S. foreign policy debate.

Richard Haass traces the evolution of thinking about force from medieval times to our own, taking into account new technologies, new states, new weapons, and new ideas about sovereignty and intervention.

Using twelve case studies drawn from recent experiences - including Bosnia, Somalia, Panama, Grenada, Haiti and the Gulf War - he sets forth realistic political and military guidelines for U.S. military interventions ranging from peacekeeping and humanitarian operations to preventive strikes and all-out warfare. Haass then discusses how past interventions could have turned out if these guidelines had been observed. Last, he assesses where and how the United States should be prepared to use force in the future - in the Persian Gulf, the Korean Peninsula, Eastern Europe and in other situations around the world where strategic or humanitarian interests warrant.

Haass also explains the political and military consequences of these commitments, and puts forward a workable division of labor among the United States, regional organizations such as NATO, and the United Nations.

This book includes appendices that make readily available key documents (inclnding the U.N. Charter and the War Powers Resolution) and statements on the subject of intervention from such influential voices as Caspar Weinberger, Colin Powell, George Bush and Bill Clinton. The result is a provocative, thoughtful study that is essential for understanding the most important foreign policy question facing the United States.