Terrorism is often depicted as something new and totally alien, a phantom enemy that cannot be understood. But by employing a sophisticated analysis soundly based on an encyclopedic knowledge of military history, Donald J. Hanle shows that three major forms of terrorism—military, revolutionary, and state-sponsored—qualify as the newest forms of war. The author's in-depth investigation reveals that these kinds of terrorists operate in the same basic manner as military forces employed in traditional warfare and have the same basic capabilities and weaknesses. He argues convincingly that countermeasures against these types of terrorist organizations should be based on classical principles of war and combat, and suggests countervailing strategies. Terrorism: The Newest Face of Warfare is a starting point for a sensible and coherent counterterrorism strategy, one that enlists a valuable but heretofore neglected Western arsenal—the study of military history—in the battle against terrorism.
