Violent Politics: A History of Insurgency, Terrorism, and Guerrilla War,

No problem is greater in today's Middle East than the terrorist tactics of insurgents in Iraq. They offer strategic success to those who utilize them, and they confound those who are trying to bring some sense of calm and order to the region.

Noted Middle East expert William R. Polk here illuminates the role played by guerrilla warriors in several conflicts throughout world history, including the American Revolution, and struggles in Ireland, Algeria, and Spain. He eventually moves through Vietnam and into the present day, where the lessons of this history are needed more than ever as we grapple with the ongoing campaign for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq.