Book Review

Complex Deterrence: strategy in the global age

Submitted to: Ma`am Sadiya Tasleem
Written by: Jawad Ali Khan

Complex Deterrence was published by Cambridge University

Press India private limited, and authored by T.V. Paul who is
professor of International Relations at McGill University; by
Patrick Morgan who is the professor of Political Science at
the University of California, and also by James J. Wirtz who is
the acting dean at the School of International Graduate
Studies and also professor of national security studies at the
Naval Postgraduate School. A group of prominent scholars
have contributed their articles to this book which are very
comprehensive and circles around issues related to
deterrence. For instance, there is a general belief, deterrence
has lost its importance and utility after the end of Cold War
because there is no other superpower to challenge the status
quo of the United States of America and secondly, the
attacks of 9/11 have somehow convinced the US citizens
about the failure of deterrence which is why since then the
Bush administration started focusing on new doctrine of
preemption as they displayed in Iraq. But that is not true.
Deterrence is still as important as it was before. Rather
deterrence has become a much more complex phenomena

when it comes to deterrence among the Great Powers,

regional and non-state actors and the associated problems,
and actors that are armed with biological, chemical and
nuclear weapons. This book talks beyond the theory of
traditional deterrence where the traditional principles are
not applicable, such as dealing with religious zeal, nuclear
terrorists, and states that have failed plus irrational actors.
And what is more appealing about this piece of compiled
articles is that it speaks from the perspectives of the
respective disciplines of history, Political Science and
Psychology on how to effectively use deterrence. To
conclude, this edition of Complex Deterrence, in my view, is
not less than a treasure and a gift to the ever-worried
policymakers who have geared their efforts as always
towards facing these umpteen challenges that are creeping
about and threatening the security and peace in this present
age which is times and again reshaped by technological
advancements.