“Deter, Disrupt, or Deceive: Assessing Cyber Conflict as an Intelligence Contest” edited by Robert Chesney & Max Smeets
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Less a single work and more of a collection of cohesively structured long-form essays, this book pits some of the leading US experts on cyber operations against each other to answer one question: is it better to frame cyber actions as part of a greater “intelligence contest” or is it truly a new means for waging war? The book presents varying definitions of what constitutes intelligence operations and highlights the inherent trade-offs between secrecy and cyber activities. Cyber operations must remain secret to maintain effectiveness, yet secrecy diminishes the more cyber operations scale up in size. The authors argue this inherently limits the scope of cyber activity. If we are to disagree with their framing of cyber operations as an intelligence contest, then we must challenge our perceptions of what constitutes war. Would the Russian election interference in 2016 be construed as an act of war? This debate clearly has significant policy ramifications and highlights the difficulties nations have with competing against one another in the Information Age. Gray zone warfare has become the new normal as nations have found novel ways to compete via digital means. This book was an excellent conversation starter that presents refreshingly contrasting opinions on the subject of cyber operations. 💻⚔️

“Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War” by Fred Kaplan
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Kaplan is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who earned his PhD in Political Science from MIT. In “Dark Territory”, Kaplan explores the history of cyber warfare through an American lens. Tracing its origins during the Reagan administration to Obama’s presidency, Kaplan uses history to ask if cyber power can truly be decisive. His journalistic skills make for a thorough history—US cyber activities have their roots in the NSA and its long record of SIGINT collection. From the early days to the founding of USCYBERCOM, Kaplan highlights how policy makers were early to acknowledge yet slow to address many policy issues surrounding the new domain. One issue that repeats throughout the book is Kaplan’s conflation between information operations and cyber warfare. The former is intended to shape perceptions while the later is meant to creat physical or network effects. This misnomer also highlights the importance of clarifying between the human and electro-magnetic spectrum domains. Kaplan concludes that cyber analogies to nuclear deterrence are misguided—a point I agree with him on. Overall, this book provides an excellent primer on US cyber policy but falls short of capturing the nuances of operating in the digital realm. 🇺🇸💻

“China’s Digital Nationalism” by Florian Schneider
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What is nationalism and is it a top-down or a bottom-up social phenomenon? What influence does communication technologies have on nationalism? Florian Schneider, a Dutch university professor specializing in political communication in China, tackles these questions in this book. China, known for its “Great Firewall” and authoritarian regulation of its citizens’ internet access, provides a compelling case study to explore these questions. Schneider shows that despite popular belief, there is a significant bottom-up swell of nationalism within China. Furthermore, his analysis shows that Chinese policies have been effective at cultivating desirable public opinions by applying a “light touch,” regulatory-speaking. The Chinese Communist Party curates the data available to its citizens while shaping incentive structures that gently push its them to accept tighter information controls in favor of daily convenience. Schneider is particularly good at defining the terminology used and provides an excellent background on the cognitive dynamics of social groups. Melvin Kranzburg once said “technology is neither good or bad, nor is it neutral.” This book proves that point and shows how a motivated central authority can shape the perceptions of a populations to suit their interests… be them good or bad. 🇨🇳⌨️

“How Data Happened: A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms” by Chris Wiggins and Matthew L. Jones
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Chris Wiggins and Matthew Jones are professors at Columbia University teaching applied mathematics and history, respectively. They use their book to explore the historical context behind the contemporary data environment we’re largely familiar with today. Going back hundreds of years to the origins of statistics, they explore the ways data has been used and how bias has affected it at every step along the way. In doing so, the authors pose a hypothetical question: who has the responsibility over data? Individuals, corporations, and states all have a claim to stake in this new frontier so it’s fair to say the answer would include “all of the above.” Wiggins & Jones’ work does not provide a lucid explanation of data in all its current forms and uses, nor does it try to. It merely explains how quantitative methods evolved with time and the missteps along the way. While the authors don’t propose anything particularly debatable, they also don’t offer anything substantive of value to the reader—the narrative simply lacks teeth. Consequently, Wiggins & Matthews provide an interesting backdrop to the study of data… and little more. 📊📏

“Subversion: The Strategic Weaponization of Narratives” by Andreas Krieg
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Andreas Krieg is an associate professor in the School of Security Studies at King’s College, London. He uses this book to argue that subversion is, in fact, a form of warfare that the West has not adequately responded to. Krieg builds his argument on first principles—distinguishing between fact (empirically observed realities) and truth (social consensus). Building on Herbert Simon’s ideas on “bounded rationality,” Krieg layers on social and emotional biases that affect human perceptions of truth. With these foundations established, he further argues that subversion goes beyond opinion-shaping to an act of war when it results in physical violence. Two case studies are analyzed: 1️⃣ Russia’s manipulation of the 2016 US presidential election and 2️⃣ the UAE’s subversive efforts during the Arab Spring from 2010-2012. This book is rare in how it build’s its arguments on first principles, ensuring the reader knows exactly the cognitive and social phenomena that is being discussed. While Krieg’s “line in the sand” on what constitutes warfare may be promlematic for believers in a more subjective continuum of conflict, his arguments are nonetheless well-made and compelling. This is a solid read that open’s your mind to the subtler ways with which nations compete in the Information Age. 🎙️📡

“Total Cold War: Eisenhower’s Secret Propaganda Battle at Home and Abroad” by Kenneth Osgood
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Do you ever recall seeing animated cartoons from the 1950s depicting American life? They usually had a corny male narrator speaking in a mid-Atlantic accent, showcasing the wonders that financial freedom and self-sovereignty brought to the public. Well, it may not come as a surprise that those productions were part of a consolidated information campaign run by the US Information Agency (USIA) during the Eisenhower administration. Kenneth Osgood is a professor at the Colorado School of Mines and uses this book to explore Eisenhower’s integrated approach towards psychological warfare both at home and abroad. He shows how the CIA and USIA coordinated to execute both “black” (covert disinformation) and “white” (overt propaganda) information operations across the world. While the CIA used influence to topple left-leaning governments in the 3rd world, the USIA was spreading a positive image of what it meant to be an American. All this, he shows, was motivated by the fear of communism and a perceived need to “fight fire with fire” so the neutral nations would choose the West as their preferred partner. This was an outstanding book that puts into context many aspects of the post-WWII order. It turns out that part of what “made America great” during this time was a concerted campaign to make people think it was… good food for thought and a reminder to seek objectivity. 🗣️🙊

“Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran, and the Rise of Irregular Warfare” by Seth G. Jones
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Seth Jones, a veteran of the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins, wrote this book to explore the foundations of current irregular warfare strategy and tactics through the lens of three of its foremost practitioners. Russia’s Valery Gerasimov, Iran’s (late) Qaseem Soleimani, and China’s Zhang Youxia are analyzed through a constructivist lens to explore how their personal backgrounds shaped the tactics the US has confronted on the battlefield (and at home). In doing so, Jones stressed the power of ideas as they shape ideologies. The power of personality is also highlighted as a potent vehicle to carry and deliver those ideas to the masses. While this book did not deliver any profound realizations or insightful recommendations, it does offer a useful appreciation of the problem adversarial irregular warfare poses to the US. Consider this a good “airport read.” 🇷🇺🇮🇷🇨🇳

“War from the Ground Up: Twenty-First-Century Combat as Politics” by Emile Simpson
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Military theorists have pontificated on the nature and purpose of war for centuries, if not millennia. Clausewitz’ famously quote, “war is politics by other means” still holds merit today. Emile Simpson, a former British infantry officer with experience in Helmand Province, wrote this book to expand on the Clausewitzian interpretation of war and update the discussion for contemporary irregular warfare. Simpson argues that there are two purposes for war: 1️⃣ to reach a political end state and 2️⃣ to leverage force as a form of political communication. He argues that violence itself is a language and the act of applying violence is subsequently communication. Simpson’s interpretation of war’s intricacies builds on Clausewitz’ foundational work in an impressively nuanced way. His constructivist take has important implications to strategists and planners alike. He stresses importance of enemy perspectives when assessing one’s own strategy, describing armed conflicts as a “trial” where each side has their own judge. His characterization of irregular warfare as simply “armed domestic politics” is also noteworthy for its implications as the US reflects on its Global War on Terror. This book is a perfect companion to Clausewitz’ “On War” and should be read shortly after ol’ Dead Carl’s foundational treatise on the subject. 🗣️⚔️

“Power to the People: How Open Technological Innovation is Arming Tomorrow’s Terrorists” by Audrey Kurth Cronin
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Cronin is an international security professor from American University and attempts to use this book to explore how individuals and groups who engage in political violence have made use of emerging technologies. In doing so, she hopes to shed light on how they’re likely to do so in the future. She lays out a 12-point “lethal empowerment theory” intended to predict if and when a technology is likely to diffuse to violent extremists. She tests this theory on two case studies (which notably appear to be cherry-picked for their validity): the disruptive invention and diffusion of 1️⃣ dynamite and the 2️⃣ AK-47. While the case studies are interesting, Cronin’s “theory” is merely a long list of attributes that technology are likely to exhibit if they are to be diffused. This book contains a lot of exemplar historical analysis to support a non-existent theory that proves a commonly understood point: technology is inherently deflationary. It’s price (and consequent rate of diffusion) crashes to its marginal cost of production. Nuclear weapons are difficult to develop and manufacture, thus their diffusion is limited. AK-47s on the other hand, have only grown cheaper and thus have diffused at higher rates. This book was once coined a “dad book” due to the ease of reading and somewhat interesting content that makes it a compelling airport purchase. Do yourself a favor: pick out a different book. 🧨🔫

“The Forgotten Front: Patron-Client Relationships in Counterinsurgency” by Walter C. Ladwig III
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Much of the literature on counterinsurgency (COIN) focuses on the dynamic between a foreign population and a visiting military power. But what of the incumbent foreign government supposedly being bolstered during such operations? Ladwig, an Oxford-taught lecturer on international relations, addresses this literary gap and explores how agency theory impacts patron-client dynamics when one country provides aid to another during an insurgency. Following a very well-researched literature review, he uses the principle-agent framework to develop a theory on what types of aid actual result in more influence over a client state. Ladwig then compares inducements and conditional aid in three case studies: post-WWII Philippines, Vietnam, and 1980s El Salvador. His analysis shows that conditional aid—not mere “gifts” or grants—are the only forms of support that actually result in desirable behaviors and influence over a client state. Ladwig makes five policy recommendations based on these findings: 1️⃣ expect tense relations with the client 2️⃣ do not fear coercing allies during a crisis 3️⃣ make conditions clear, measurable, and realistic 4️⃣ prepare for internal domestic opposition to policies abroad 5️⃣ cultivate ties with local reformers. This was a very interesting read that correlates international relations with easily-understood psychological dynamics we all can relate to as individuals. Ladwig is particularly kind to the reader and not only explains what his research choices were, but why he made them. This is a fantastic book that sheds light on relationships between weak and strong states, particularly when insecurity is at the forefront. 🤝🎁

“Pacification in Algeria, 1956-1958” by David Galula &
“Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency” by Roger Trinquier
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The French, like most former colonial powers, had a wealth of experience conducting counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in their former territories as their empires decayed. Galula was an experienced captain in the French army in the 1950s when he was sent to Algeria as a company commander to “pacify” the rising political rebellion there. In his personal recounting of his experiences, Galula identifies four basic principles of COIN: 1️⃣ the population is the objective 2️⃣ support from the population isn’t spontaneous; it must be organized 3️⃣ minority opposition will emerge 4️⃣ counterinsurgency forces can rarely (if ever) afford to control the entire territory. Galula’s memoir provides a good example of the temporal nature of COIN—progress quickly dissolves away without the consistent application of forces. Another French officer, Trinquier, was more senior to Galula when he wrote of his experiences in both Vietnam and Algeria. Trinquier attempts to identity irregular warfare as a fundamental paradigm shift in the nature of war, as originally theorized by the likes of Clausewitz and Jomini. Where Galula focused on empowering populations, Trinquier spoke primarily on controlling them. His prescriptions reek of colonial hubris and Francophone racism, yet still provide an important data point in irregular war theory. In fact, Trinquier‘s backward ideologies only reinforce the points made by Galula: a counterinsurgency is ultimately a battle over who can provide for the needs of the people. 🇫🇷🇩🇿