Always Near, Always Far: The Armed Forces In Mexico (Paperback), by Jose Francisco et al Gallardo, Global Exchange (July 2, 2001).
During the Cold War, Mexico successfully bucked the tide of US backed military dictatorships that swept Latin America. Ironically, after communism has disappeared as a political force, Mexico's army is mired in multiple counterinsurgency battles, has been infiltrated by narcotics traffickers at the highest ranks, is endemic with corruption, and is increasingly dependent on US weapons, training, and ideology. In 16 chapters, written by 11 experts in military affairs, including two full generals (one retired, the other a political prisoner, who smuggled out his three chapters in this volume via his son on visiting days), a complex and comprehensive picture of the Mexican Armed Forces is presented. The book discusses in great length, over 250 oversize pages, with a wealth of charts, graphs, footnotes and a fold out map, the history, mission, and the constitutional context of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero; the growth and institutionalization of paramilitaries; the relation between militarization and economics; the military budget; the drug war; and the problematic relationship between the US and Mexican militaries. A crucial text for anyone wanting to understand what is really going on south of the border. Information

Armed Forces in the Middle East: Politics and Strategy (Besa Studies in International Security) (Hardcover), by Barry Rubin, Routledge; 1 edition (November 30, 2001).
This volume examines the Middle East's leading armed forces and their role in both military and political affairs. It considers their missions, doctrine, training, equipment and effectiveness as fighting forces. At the same time, the various expert contributors discuss the relations between the armed forces and their respective governments, with the issues raised ranging from internal repression to budgetary matters. On some issues, high-ranking officers force Arab regimes to meet their demands. In other ways, regimes impose restrictions on the armies in order to maintian their own political control. These mechanisms also reduce the soldiers' military quality, and hence their ability to wage war. Among the armed forces specifically examined in this volume are those of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Syria and Turkey. Other chapters provide an overview of the Middle Eastern militaries' political role and strategic value; of why Arab armies have performed poorly in warfare; and of the part played by the United States and Russia in training, arms supplies, shaping the doctrine of local militaries, and engaging in direct intervention. Information

Democratic Societies and Their Armed Forces: Israel in Comparative Context (Besa Studies in International Security) (Paperback), by Stuart Cohen, Routledge; 1 edition (April 29, 2000).
Throughout the democratic world, armed forces are having to adapt to sweeping shifts in their domestic status. This book attempts to explore the possible implications of that situation for Israel - a state long considered a paradigmatic "nation in arms".
Containing an edited selection of papers presented at an international BESA conference held in 1998, this book presents an overview of current transformations in societal-military relations in the western world. Within the context of that framework, it then explores their specific manifestations in Israel. The result is a comprehensive study of a process which, in Israel as elsewhere, already affects the very fabric of a vital sphere of public life. Information

Gender and the Military: Women in the Armed Forces of Western Democracies (Cass Military Studies) (Hardcover), by H. Carreiras, Routledge; 1 edition (September 25, 2006).
Women in the military and their relationship with war are subjects that often provoke controversial reactions that reveal entrenched stereotypes and cultural values central to many societies. This is the first comparative, cross-national study of the participation of women in the armed forces of NATO countries. Besides an analysis of this key topic, a critique of existing theoretical models and the proposal of a revised analytical framework. Information

New People Strategies for the British Armed Forces (Cranfield Defence Management Series, 2) (Paperback), by A. Alexandrou, Frank Cass; 1 edition (November 30, 2001).
Human Resource Management (HRM) continues to be a contentious issue for the UK Ministry of Defence and the British Armed Forces. This book is an examination of this area, through a series of conferences, seminars and publications at The Royal Military College of Science. There have been a number of important developments in the area of HRM in the Armed Forces. These have taken the form of strategic reports by the MoD and the Defence Select Committee. Our latest conference addressed a number of these issues from a forward thinking perspective. It recognised that the UK Armed Services may well have to start thinking "outside of the box" in terms of recruitment and retention, the role of women within the military and the need for an independent representative body to defend and put forward the views of the Armed Forces Personnel. This book, as with our previous publications, is designed to ensure that the studies are practitioner-based an set within analytical frameworks. In the ongoing belief that our approach will continue to open up the debate in this area and encourage further research and analysis, we have set out to make each chapter educational, informative and, we hope, as challenging as ever. Information

The Armed Forces and Democracy in Latin America (Paperback), by J. Samuel, III Fitch, The Johns Hopkins University Press (September 11, 1998).
The political role of the military is one of the most important questions facing Latin American societies seeking to consolidate new democracies. Despite the return to elected civilian governments, undemocratic patterns of civil-military relations persist in much of the region. Still, the political power of the armed forces is varied and often less dominant than expected. In key countries, military influence is declining, although effective democratic control of the military remains elusive.
In The Armed Forces and Democracy in Latin America, J. Samuel Fitch analyzes the contrasting patterns of military power in post-transition regimes. Drawing on a wide range of sources, he shows how learning from the past, the domestic environment, and the international context affect military beliefs about their role in politics. His analysis includes policy recommendations for U.S. and Latin American leaders trying to promote democratic civilian-military relations.  Information

The Armed Forces of China (The Armed Forces of Asia) Paperback), by You Ji, I. B. Tauris (December 3, 1999).
At present, perceptions of China's military power owe as much to the Korean war as they do to cool analysis of force structure and offensive capacity. Yet as the emerging economic superpower in Asia, China must play an ever-growing part in the future of that region and the world. The Armed Forces of China presents a straightforward description of China's military resources and the impact of new programs of investment in technology and manpower management. Information

The Armed Forces of Russia in Asia (Armed Forces of Asia) (Paperback), by Greg Austin, I. B. Tauris (July 14, 2000).
The Armed Forces of Russia in Asia is the first attempt to bring together the known facts about this enigmatic factor in North Asian security affairs. It analyzes the strategic policies underpinning deployment, describes the strategic forces and their regional organization and explores the role of Russia’s regional military industry, regional arms sales, and regional military co-operation activities. Information

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