Unwinnable Wars : American Power and Ethnic Conflict

A Twentieth Century Fund Book

A primer for American responses to ethnic conflicts, past, present, and future.Bosnia, Rwanda, Chechnya--these names reverberate in the news for good and uring reasons as examples of a "new tribalism." But ethnic conflict has always been with us. In this timely and important book, David Callahan offers a thorough history of twentieth-century ethnic conflicts, an analysis of the failures and successes of American involvement in them, and recommations for American actions in the future.

“A sober, reasoned and extremely well-articulated survey of the key questions surrounding U.S. interests and policies on ethnic conflict. No important consideration is omitted . . . A superb analysis.” —Shashi Tharoor, The Washington Post Book World

“Callahan's incisive analysis and sensible recommendations should be required reading for U.S. diplomats, the Congress, and anyone sickened by these tragic conflicts.” —Richard H. Ullman, Princeton University

“A rationale and a road for greater American activism to contain ethnic conflicts. Callahan's reasoning is steeped in common sense (for instance, early involvement pays off by lessening the scope for full-scale warfare down the road), and he does an admirable job . . . [His] may not be the cure-all answer we'd like to hear, but it is a realistic one.” —Peter Mass, Los Angeles Times Book Review

“A skillful explanation of the explosion of conflicts within the last thirty years arising from religious, cultural, linguistic, and territorial differences--and of the policies the U.S. can pursue to defuse these tinderboxes . . . An intelligent, sober, nonmoralistic argument for mediating ethnic strife before killing fields result.” —Kirkus Review