Hosmer, Stephen T. creator author. Project Air Force (U.S.) Strategy and Doctrine Program. Rand Corporation United States Air Force. text bibliography cau 2001 monographic eng

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xvii, 151 pages ; 23 cm Operations targeted against senior enemy leaders have long been viewed as a potential means of shaping the policy and behavior of enemy states. As a result, the United States has launched a variety of overt and covert operations in efforts to attack enemy leaders directly, facilitate their overthrow by coup or rebellion, or secure their ouster through external invasion. This book examines a number of leadership attacks from World War II to the present to offer insights into the comparative efficacy of various forms of leadership attacks, their potential coercive and deterrent value, and the possible unintended consequences of their ill-considered use. The book concludes that direct attacks, coups, and rebellions have met with only limited success and, even when successful, have sometimes yielded counterproductive results. Moreover, neither direct attacks nor coups have been of significant coercive or deterrent value, although rebellions have at times provided useful negotiating leverage. By contrast, external invasions have proved to be more efficacious both in shaping the targeted countries' policy and behavior and in exerting coercive effects. The book concludes by outlining the likely conditions under which future leadership attacks are likely to be sanctioned and by delineating the prerequisites of effective use of air power in such contexts. Introduction -- Attacking Leaders Directly -- Facilitating Coups or Rebellions -- Taking Down Regimes with External Military Force -- Concluding Observations. Stephen T. Hosmer. "Project Air Force." Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-151). Also available on the internet via WWW in PDF format. n-us--- Assassination Coups d'état Insurgency Offenses against foreign heads of state United States United States Foreign relations 1945-1989 United States Foreign relations 1989- United States Military policy JC328.5 .H67 2001 0833030280 0833032348 (electronic bk.) 9780833030283 9780833032348 (electronic bk.) 2001041740 http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1385/ http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1385/ CstmoR 011012 20200811100907.0 rnd000000000071170