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Tony Wright's 'Very Short Introduction' is an interpretative essay on the British political system, rather than merely an abbreviated textbook on how it currently works. He identifies key characteristics and shaping ideas of the British tradition, and investigates what makes British politics distinctive.

"For many years, the British Army was considered to have a particular expertise at counterinsurgency campaigning. John Newsinger's British Counterinsurgency challenges this view. The book examines the post-1945 campaigns in Palestine, Malaya, Kenya, Cyprus, South Yemen, Dhofar, Northern Ireland and most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. It looks at the opponents the British faced, the methods that were used against them, the successes and the failures, and the reasons for these outcomes. It contests the British claim to have used minimum force in order to win hearts and minds, showing that as much force was used as was thought appropriate, that torture was widely used and that coercion was always more important than consent. The book ends with an assessment of the disastrous campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, with particular focus on the damage done to the British Army's reputation and credibility."--Back cover