The New Rules of War

McFate, a former paratrooper and private military contractor, argues that Western militaries are preparing for the wrong kind of war. He sets out ten new rules, among them that conventional war is dead, that the best weapons do not fire bullets, and that mercenaries and shadow wars will dominate future conflict.

The book is deliberately provocative and some of its claims are overstated, but its emphasis on information warfare, deniable forces and durable disorder anticipates much of what has followed. It is a useful challenge to anyone who thinks in terms of platforms and set-piece battles.