Robert J Bunker – författare

Much has been written about the many economic benefits of globalization and the triumph and spread of democratic liberalism with the end of the Cold War, following the demise of the Soviet Union.

This work takes issue with such "wine and roses" perspectives about the future of the Western democracies and their faith-based views on the moral purity of a globalized marketplace. It also questions many of the assumptions found in the status quo reinforcing discipline of international political economy (IPE)—a discipline that focuses on the formal and legitimate economies and the façade they present that international relations and commerce is still dominated and dictated solely by the old Westphalian state centric system.

Having highlighted these concerns, this book looks at two major themes. The first theme focuses on the theoretical perception that a "Dark Renaissance" is taking place globally—one in which the Western liberal democracies and its citizens are ill prepared to respond because it exists at the trans-civilization level, bridging the modern to the post-modern world. The second theme focuses on the actual process of state deconstruction that is taking place. This process is leading to what may become the very undoing of the democracies.

Drawing together experts from a variety of backgrounds, this work explores the increasing shift away from formal based capitalism and evaluates through case studies how different states are responding to the challenges they face. This work will be of great interest to students and scholars of international political economy.

Much has been written about the many economic benefits of globalization and the triumph and spread of democratic liberalism with the end of the Cold War, following the demise of the Soviet Union.

This work takes issue with such "wine and roses" perspectives about the future of the Western democracies and their faith-based views on the moral purity of a globalized marketplace. It also questions many of the assumptions found in the status quo reinforcing discipline of international political economy (IPE)—a discipline that focuses on the formal and legitimate economies and the façade they present that international relations and commerce is still dominated and dictated solely by the old Westphalian state centric system.

Having highlighted these concerns, this book looks at two major themes. The first theme focuses on the theoretical perception that a "Dark Renaissance" is taking place globally—one in which the Western liberal democracies and its citizens are ill prepared to respond because it exists at the trans-civilization level, bridging the modern to the post-modern world. The second theme focuses on the actual process of state deconstruction that is taking place. This process is leading to what may become the very undoing of the democracies.

Drawing together experts from a variety of backgrounds, this work explores the increasing shift away from formal based capitalism and evaluates through case studies how different states are responding to the challenges they face. This work will be of great interest to students and scholars of international political economy.

This new book brings together leading terrorism scholars and defence professionals to discuss the impact of networks on conflict and war.

Post-modern terrorism and topics of global insurgency are also comprehensively covered. The text is divided into four sections to cover the key areas: introductory/overview, theory, terrorism and global insurgency, Al Qaeda focus, and networks. Eminent contributors include John Arquilla and David Ronfeldt, Brian Jenkins, Stephen Sloan, Graham Turbiville, and Max Manwaring. This book was previously published as a special issue of the leading journal Low Intensity Conflict and Law Enforcement.

This new book brings together leading terrorism scholars and defence professionals to discuss the impact of networks on conflict and war.

Post-modern terrorism and topics of global insurgency are also comprehensively covered. The text is divided into four sections to cover the key areas: introductory/overview, theory, terrorism and global insurgency, Al Qaeda focus, and networks. Eminent contributors include John Arquilla and David Ronfeldt, Brian Jenkins, Stephen Sloan, Graham Turbiville, and Max Manwaring. This book was previously published as a special issue of the leading journal Low Intensity Conflict and Law Enforcement.

The book takes a hard hitting look at the drug wars taking place in Mexico between competing gangs, cartels, and mercenary factions; their insurgency against the Mexican state; the narco-violence and terrorism that is increasingly coming over the border into the United States, and its interrelationship with domestic prison and street gangs. Analysis and response strategies are provided by leading writers on 3GEN gang theory, counterterrorism, transnational organized crime, and homeland security.

Narcos Over the Border is divided into three sections: narco-opposing force (NARCO OPFOR) organization and technology use; patterns of violence and corruption and the illicit economy; and United States response strategies. The work also includes short introductory essays, a strategic threat overview, an afterword and selected references. Specific topics covered include: advanced weaponry, internet use, kidnappings and assassinations, torture, beheadings, and occultism, cartel and gang evolutionary patterns, drug trafficking, street taxation, corruption, and border firefights.

This book was published as a special issue of Small Wars and Insurgencies.

The book takes a hard hitting look at the drug wars taking place in Mexico between competing gangs, cartels, and mercenary factions; their insurgency against the Mexican state; the narco-violence and terrorism that is increasingly coming over the border into the United States, and its interrelationship with domestic prison and street gangs. Analysis and response strategies are provided by leading writers on 3GEN gang theory, counterterrorism, transnational organized crime, and homeland security.

Narcos Over the Border is divided into three sections: narco-opposing force (NARCO OPFOR) organization and technology use; patterns of violence and corruption and the illicit economy; and United States response strategies. The work also includes short introductory essays, a strategic threat overview, an afterword and selected references. Specific topics covered include: advanced weaponry, internet use, kidnappings and assassinations, torture, beheadings, and occultism, cartel and gang evolutionary patterns, drug trafficking, street taxation, corruption, and border firefights.

This book was published as a special issue of Small Wars and Insurgencies.

The United States and her allies have found themselves plunged into ‘a war over [humanity’s] future social and political organization’ with criminal challengers to the nation-state form. These new wars are currently being fought globally with Al Qaeda, in Iraq with shifting coalitions of criminal gangs, insurgents, and Jihadi groups and throughout the Americas with the Maras (the first group of 3rd GEN Gangs to emerge). More new wars are poised to develop and the on-going ones are far from over, with more attacks upon the homelands of the US and her allies expected.

This cutting edge book looks initially at the theoretical and legal side of criminal-state and criminal-soldier emergence and growth, before focusing on criminal-states and criminal-soldiers themselves, with particular attention paid to Al Qaeda, Hizballah, Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13), Caliphate and Mahdi concerns, Islamic Fundamentalist Use of Beheadings, Criminalization of Russian State Security, Nuclear Materials Trafficking, and Outlaw Private Security Firms.

With the contributions from international experts, this book makes for critical reading for political scientists and criminal justice students and researchers, policy makers, and military and law enforcement practitioners.

This book was previously published as a special issue of Global Crime.

The United States and her allies have found themselves plunged into ‘a war over [humanity’s] future social and political organization’ with criminal challengers to the nation-state form. These new wars are currently being fought globally with Al Qaeda, in Iraq with shifting coalitions of criminal gangs, insurgents, and Jihadi groups and throughout the Americas with the Maras (the first group of 3rd GEN Gangs to emerge). More new wars are poised to develop and the on-going ones are far from over, with more attacks upon the homelands of the US and her allies expected.

This cutting edge book looks initially at the theoretical and legal side of criminal-state and criminal-soldier emergence and growth, before focusing on criminal-states and criminal-soldiers themselves, with particular attention paid to Al Qaeda, Hizballah, Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13), Caliphate and Mahdi concerns, Islamic Fundamentalist Use of Beheadings, Criminalization of Russian State Security, Nuclear Materials Trafficking, and Outlaw Private Security Firms.

With the contributions from international experts, this book makes for critical reading for political scientists and criminal justice students and researchers, policy makers, and military and law enforcement practitioners.

This book was previously published as a special issue of Global Crime.

In sum, this anthology represents some of the best and brightest scholars of today who are writing on the evolving security environment in Mexico and the implications this may hold for the United States. They have greatly enhanced our understanding of crime wars and criminal insurgencies—21st century war and conflict waged by non-state entities— and the impact this new form of warfare is having on states. For this, we embrace them and have established the new SWJ El Centro forum to further promote their professionalism and scholarship.

Dave DileggeSWJ Editor-in-Chief

This second Small Wars JournalEl Centro anthology signifies the important debate that this new forum, focusing on the crime wars and criminal insurgencies taking place in Mexico and other regions of the Americas, is helping to generate in U.S. defense and homeland security circles. The debate comes at a time when neither of the two major U.S. presidential candidates were willingly to candidly discuss this issue and at the end of the recent Felipe Caldern administration which saw over 80,000 dead, 20,000 missing, and 200,000 internal refugees stemming from gang and cartel violence during its tenure in Mexico.

authoritative account of a significant new terrorist tactic that is likely to become more pervasive in our increasingly sophisticated technological and medical age in which it is becoming easier for the terrorist adversary to use the types of body cavity bombs that will be capable of evading detection technologies ...

Dr. Joshua Sinai, Washington, DC-based consultant on counterterrorism studies and author of Active Shooter: A Handbook on Prevention.

Body Cavity Bombers shows how what was once a lurid Hollywood fantasy has emerged as a legitimate threat, dissects the risk with clinical precision, and soberly considers the remediation options.

Dr. Nils Gilman, Director of Research at Monitor 360 and co-editor of Deviant Globalization.

A timely and important book about a disgusting subject. In showing how the human body might be used to carry and conceal explosive devices, terrorism experts Bunker and Flaherty have left no stone unturned.

Dr. Martin van Creveld, one of the worlds leading writers on military history and strategy, with a special interest in the future of war, and author of twenty books including The Transformation of War.

Those in the front line of identifying and taking necessary action to counter these new techniques of destruction would be well advised to read Dr. Bunker and Dr. Flahertys realistic assessment.

Dr. Stephen Sloan, internationally recognized terrorism scholar and author/co-author of fourteen books on terrorism.