Contributions from some of the world's leading strategic thinkers on land warfare are collected in the work. The operational, strategic, and ethical conundrums that soldiers, their commanders, and the societies they serve will have to wrestle with in the future are analyzed by the experts, paying close attention to the impact of the information age. Topics such as urban warfare, coalition operations, the revolution in military affairs, asymmetric warfare, close combat, peacekeeping, military training and recruiting, and the challenges posed by terrorism are addressed.

Papers from the October 2001 Chief of Army's Land Warfare Conference.

Foreword / Lt. General Peter Cosgrove -- Tables and figures -- Abbreviations -- Contributors -- Introduction: Appointment in Samarra: Western strategic thought and the culture of risk / Michael Evans -- PART 1. THE CHANGING SHAPE OF CONFLICT: The West's future foes: simplification and slaughter / Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters -- Clausewitz's chameleon: military theory and practice in the early 21st century / Michael Evans -- Resurrecting transformation for the post-industrial era / Colonel Douglas A. Macgregor -- Maritime strategy, land warfare and revolution in naval affairs / Rear Admiral Raja Menon -- Sharp corners: combat operations in urban areas / Roger Spiller -- Land forces in 21st-century coalition operations: implications for the Asia-Pacific / Alan Ryan -- PART 2. FUTURE CHALLENGES: Creating a culture of velocity: the Western military mindset and the challenge of digitization / Lt. Colonel Robert Leonhard -- Asymmetric warfare: myth or reality? / Group Captain Ian MacFarling -- Whither the close battle-British Army operations: 2015 and beyond / Colonel Richard Cousens -- A debate on the challenge posed by terrorism / transcript of a debate at the October 2001 Chief of Army's Land Warfare Conference -- The military profession in Australia: crossroads and cross-purposes? / Hugh Smith -- Defending the 'other': military force(s) and the cosmopolitan project / Graeme Cheeseman -- Preparing the Australian Army for 21st-century conflict: problems and perspectives / Major General Peter Abigail -- PART 3. OPERATIONAL LESSONS: Lessons from Bosnia: a British perspective / General Sir Michael Rose -- Lessons from East Timor / Major General Duncan Lewis -- Lessons learnt from multinational operations / Brigadier Dominique Trinquand -- Conclusion: Early 21st-century armies and the challenge of unrestricted warfare / Alan Ryan -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index