"The assassination of the Austro-Hungarian archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in the streets of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, precipitated World War I. From those ashes a second world war and a cold war would arise. Now, a century later, that murder has ironically put in place powerful forces that menace today's peace. Unfortunately, leaders are largely unaware of the dangers emanating from these forces and prefer instead to deal with their symptoms and not the causes, making solutions very difficult. Over the past century four "new horsemen of the apocalypse" have been created. Each poses a direct threat to the well-being of people worldwide, along with peace, stability, and prosperity. The new horsemen are failed and failing government; economic despair, disparity, and dislocation; violent ideologies, principally religious; and environmental. A Handful of Bullets tells the story of how this dangerous and highly volatile state of affairs has occurred. Most importantly, Ullman offers prescriptive recommendations to corral each of these menacing riders, ranging from revising the American national security structure to establishing a vitally needed national infrastructure bank and reforming the electoral process, including mandating universal voting and allowing successful presidents to seek a third term. In the telling, Ullman argues that America desperately needs a new strategic mindset for the twenty-first century." --Provided by publisher.

Includes index.

Part one. Deus ex machina: how the murder of an archduke began the unraveling of the Westphalian era, created four new horsemen of the apocalypse, and transformed the nature of the international system in the twenty-first century --Globalization and the diffusion of power -- The new four horsemen -- Three crucial consequences -- Part two. Many archdukes, many bullets -- Regional crises and ticking time bombs -- Global financial and economic ticking time bombs -- Cyber -- Wildcards: looming archdukes and lurking bullets -- Part three. A brains-based approach to strategy: corralling the four horsemen -- Failed and failing governments -- Economic despair, disparity, and disruption -- Ideological extremism and religious fanaticism -- Environmental calamity and climate change -- Mind-set myopia: the failure of strategic thinking -- Conclusions. Needed: a brains-based approach -- Appendix I.A letter to the Secretary of Defense -- Appendix II: A future maritime force.