Military forces have long been the arbiters of national security and continues to be at the vanguard of assuring the sovereignty and stability of a nation. This is an enduring fact. However, in the past few decades, the role of the military forces have undergone an evolutionary change and now spans a much broader spectrum of activities than ever before. Accordingly, the responsibilities placed on the military forces, especially in democratic nations, have also undergone an upward revision. These changes have altered the status and stature of military forces.This book analyses the changing position of military forces and their relationship with other elements of national power vis-à-vis the need to ensure national security. The analysis is carried out in great detailstarting with a discussion of national policy, grand strategy and their connection to the military forces and ending with a discussion of the status of military forces in the national security calculus. It is arranged into five independent sections that contain twenty chapters.The Sword Arm examines the hypothesis that irrespective of the broad definition of national security that is prevalent in modern times and the whole-of-government approach that most democracies have adopted to ensure the security and safety of the nation, military forces continue to be at the vanguard of national security initiatives. On the other hand, democratic nations have a proclivity to sideline the military forces in times of relative peace, which could be detrimental to the overall security of the nation. The book critically investigates this dichotomy and suggests that in 21st century democracies, military forces need to be strengthened to ensure the security of the nation.

Authors PrefaceIntroductionSection - INational Security, Policy and Grand Strategy Shifting With the Sands of Time IntroductionChapter 1 The Rise of Nation StatesChapter 2 National SecurityChapter 3 Security, Policy and StrategyConclusionSection - IIThe Evolving Geo-Political Environment International Strategic TrendsIntroductionChapter 4 The Ever Changing WorldChapter 5 Global Strategic Environment Chapter 6 Challenges to Geo-Political Stability Chapter 7 Emergence of New Global PlayersConclusionSection - IIIThe Future of Conflict Contextualising WarIntroductionChapter 8 Analysing WarChapter 9 Factors affecting the Conduct of War Chapter 10 Emerging Trends in the Conduct of WarChapter 11 Irregular Warfare: The Asymmetric CoreChapter 12 Challenges of a New EraConclusionSection - IVMilitary Forces: An Element of National Power The Strategic InterfaceIntroductionChapter 13 The Power of Military ForcesChapter 14 Future Conflict Trends: Impact on Military Forces Conclusion Section - VThe Sword Arm Military Forces In The 21st CenturyIntroduction Chapter 15 The Evolution and Mitigation of ThreatChapter 16 The Dynamics of ResourcesChapter 17 Military Forces and Security Strategies Chapter 18 Military Forces in the 21st Century Chapter 19 The Military Force as an Instrument of Policy Chapter 20 Strengthening Military Forces in a Democracy Conclusion Bibliography Index