Identifies the benefits and consequences of the nation's paradigm shift toward more preventive and proactive approaches to conflict, arguing that the seeds of such a shift were planted prior to the events of September 11.

A brief history of preemption, prevention, and prediction in the context of individual crime -- Preemptive military action : from surgical strike to all-out war -- Preemption and nonpreemption in the Arab-Israeli conflict : its relevance to U.S. policy -- Preventive measures against terrorism -- Bush Doctrine on preemption, the U.S. attack against Iraq -- Would preemptive action against the Iranian nuclear program be justified? -- Toward a jurisprudence of prevention and preemption.