Failed States and Casualty Phobia

The emergence of failed states as the principal source of international political instability and the appearance of mounting casualty phobia among U.S. political and military elites have significant force structure and technology implications. Overseas, intra-state and often irregular warfare is displacing large-scale inter-state conventional combat. At home, there has arisen a new generation of political and military leadership that displays an unprecedented timidity in using force."--Intro. The author proceeds to argue that in an era where the Air Force is being called on more than ever in an attempt to reduce casualties because they are viewed as "above the fight", the distribution of defense funding needs to be given a hard look.