Waging War

Patricia A. Weitsman is Professor of Political Science at Ohio University. She is the author of Dangerous Alliances: Proponents of Peace, Weapons of War, and co-author of The Politics of Policy Making in Defense and Foreign Affairs.

"In articulating a new realist institutionalism approach, Weitsman contends that institutions are a key vehicle for countries to influence the behavior of other countries and in turn augment their national power . . . Recommended."—A. G. Reiter, CHOICE "[Waging War] deserves careful and critical consideration . . . Weitsman's model makes sense. Her thinking regarding cohesion (in that it is related directly to interests rather than alliance institutions) warrants careful consideration."—Col. Gregory Fontenot, ARMY Magazine "Patricia Weitsman's book does for 21st century alliances what Glenn Snyder did for alliance politics 20 years ago: it develops a nuanced argument about how international institutions in the form of alliances and coalitions add to and constrain states' power. It will become required reading in classes at the upper division and graduate levels dealing with International Security and/or US Foreign Policy."—Stephen M. Saideman, Paterson Chair in International Affairs, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University "Most modern wars are fought by coalitions, but we know remarkably little about the structures that have been put in place. By highlighting the tension between legitimacy and efficiency, examining several cases, developing a theory of realist institutionalism, and analyzing the implications for the American foreign policy, Weitsman has made a major contribution."—Robert Jervis, Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Politics, Columbia University "Waging War is an important examination of the manner in which the United States has managed its war-fighting alliances and coalitions in the post-Cold War era. Patricia Weitsman argues convincingly that America's alliances, its ability to assemble coalitions of the willing, and its institutions and capacity for projecting power overseas—provided they are nurtured and carefully managed—are likely to keep it in a hegemonic position for some time to come, regardless of the increasing economic prowess of a rising China. Her examination of alliance and coalition decision-making structures, interoperability, burden-sharing, cohesion, effectiveness, costs, and legitimacy provide a wealth of lessons for U.S. policy makers navigating the treacherous national security shoals of the 21st century."—Peter R. Mansoor, Author of Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War "This manuscript is an important piece of scholarship that effectively argues that institutional arrangements significantly influence a state's ability to efficiently use its military power. This argument is unique in the realist and institutional literature. The theoretical arguments outlined in this book provide an important analysis tool for the IR scholar or practitioner; there is no direct competitor!"—Daniel Baltrusaitis, Permanent Professor, National Defense College of the United Arab Emirates