Brutality in an Age of Human Rights

Brian Drohan is a Major in the U.S. Army.

Drohan's book provides an excellent understanding of the rhetoric and practice of counterinsurgency and a firm foundation for understanding the universe of euphemism and defensiveness that surrounds such efforts even today.(H-DIPLO) Drohan addresses many legal and moral issues about the challenges of maintaining order and securing human rights in a revolutionary context, [and] the book's major contribution is its detailed historical account of three insurgencies. The book is recommended for all readership levels.(Choice) Brian Drohan's book is a vital empirical study informing both humanitarianism and human rights historiographies. It opens pointedly with the diverse legal justifications provided by the British and American governments for their decision to invade Iraq in 2003.(Twentieth Century British History) Brutality in an Age of Human Rights is an important book, one that recalls the significant political damage to Britain's reputation and interests caused by the adoption of brutal methods of counterinsurgency. It is also a valuable historical reminder how easily the 'rule of law' can be effectively manipulated to enable abuse.(English Historical Review) In the context of the current debate over colonial-era reparations and compensation claims for alleged human rights abuses, Brian Drohan's timely and salutary addition to the literature will be of critical interest to legal practitioners, historians, and political scientists.(Michigan War Studies Review)

• AcknowledgmentsMapsIntroduction1. A Lawyers' War2. The Shadow of Strasbourg3. "Hunger War"4. "This Unhappy Affair"5. "A More Talkative Place"ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex