Journal of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies Núm. 10 / 2017 http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee 430430 Paul Rogers: is Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University and International Security Editor for openDemocracy. He also writes a monthly briefing for the Oxford Research Group and is author of Why We’re Losing the War on Terror and Losing Control: Global Security in the Twenty-First Century. Book review “Irregular War” is undoubtedly a book of interest for many reasons…above all else, due to the author’s academic profile, but as well for its realism and fine documentation. According to Paul Rogers, it is worthless to set out problems of Security and Defense, no matter how well described, if no effort is made to seek beyond the most obvious effects…The causes which bring about the current instability are typical of an end of cycle, and as such are much deeper and require a different treatment: “Underlining the problems”. The need to establish a new and more detailed analysis of essential questions undoubtedly affecting global security must replace a vision which is too short-sighted and overly protectionist in the literal sense of the word. Otherwise, the risk is run of perpetuating an entire series of “revolutions from the margins” which will increasingly check-mate the Developed World, this being one of the principal theses of the book. ISIS remains, according to the author, one part of a much broader phenomenon now defined: “Revolution from the margins”. Today it is the clash of civilizations between the West and Islam which prevails, but in fact this is an early manifestation of an upcoming future which he characterizes as “the era of insurgencies”, a concept much broader and deeper than the current cultural or religious differences in conflict. The impossibility of containing the “new insurgencies” with conventional defense systems has already been proven in the last twenty years in the conflicts in the Middle East, Afghanistan. It is absolutely indispensable to deal, as soon as possible, with the true causes of this “growing insecurity”, and which are none other than those described in Paul Rogers’ book. The consequences of economic globalization and the increase in social inequality have exacerbated problems already perceptible. In addition, the controversial climate change, together with Western failure to solve the war-like conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, have fomented, throughout wide areas of the planet, a feeling of frustration called by the author, to repeat, “revolution from the margins.” The advanced societies, with a degree of wealth far greater in comparison with the huge “marginalized majorities” of the Global South, remain unaware of the grave “intrinsic instability” which threatens them. One of the principal consequences of growing inequality has been the resentment which exists in the face of the frustrated prosperity of this area, in spite of a significant increase in the levels of healthcare and education. These, however, contrast with the
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