4GW (Fourth Generation Warfare) is the only kind of war America has ever lost. And we have done so three times – in Vietnam, Lebanon, and Somalia. This form of warfare has also defeated the French in Vietnam and Algeria, and the USSR in Afghanistan…As the only Goliath left in the world, we should be worried that the world’s Davids have found a sling and stone that work." – Chapter 1, The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century. The War in Iraq. The War on Terror. These types of "asymmetrical" warfare are the conflicts of the 21st century – and show how difficult it is for the world's remaining superpower to battle insurgents and terrorists who will fight unconventionally in the face of superior military power. This change in military conflict may seem sudden.

Recent history is replete with powerful military forces being tied up by seemingly weaker opponents. Recommendations for prescriptive answers are found in Thomas Hammes' insightful book on the strengths and weaknesses of conventional military power in which he describes fourth generation warfare, the means by which Davids can beat Goliaths.

"A young man who seeks revenge and redemption from his past joins a brutal race to win a chance to escape his dying world"--

The sling may be an ancient weapon, but there are some powerful reasons for including it in any modern arsenal. It is silent and has multiple uses. It is powerful and has better range than a bow. It is accurate and easy to learn to use. It is easily improvised and highly portable. It can be readily concealed. Ammunition is available anywhere for free and it is inexpensive, and takes up little room. This is the complete manual on this little-known weapon. It tells how to make one, how to use one, and when and where to use one. Six different techniques are described and illustrated in detail. Also included is advice on how and where to practice, descriptions of ammunition, and practical applications. Highly recommended for all survivalists and weapons enthusiasts.

The authors examine the history of Oceania and the Americas to unveil the significant role slings and slingstones played in developing societies.

When did war begin? Standard military accounts tend to start with the Graeco-Persian wars, laying undue emphasis on the preeminence of Greek heavy infantry. But, as this strikingly original and entertaining book shows, the origins of war can be traced back not to the Iron Age, or even to the Bronze Age, but to the emergence of settled life itself nearly 10,000 years ago. The military revolution that occurred then?the invention of major new weapons, the massive fortifications, the creation of strategy and tactics?ultimately gave rise to the great war machines of ancient Egypt, Assyria, and Persia that dominated the Near East until the time of Alexander the Great.It is Arther Ferrill's thesis that in the period before Alexander there were two independent lines of military development?a Near Eastern one culminating in the expert integration of cavalry, skirmishers, and light infantry and a Greek one based on heavy infantry. When Philip and Alexander blended the two traditions in their crack Macedonian army, the result was a style of warfare that continued, despite technological changes, down to Napoleon.This newly revised edition presents detailed and copiously illustrated accounts of all the major battles on land and sea up to the fourth century b.c., analyzes weapons from the sling to the catapult, and discusses ancient strategy and tactics, making this a book for armchair historians everywhere.

Describes in text and pictures weapons used through the ages, from the stones of prehistoric man to the bombs of modern times.