The Peace of Illusions

The Peace of Illusions intervenes in the ongoing debate about the costs and benefits of America's surprisingly consistent grand strategy since World War II. Critiquing current strategic thinking within the U.S. government from the perspectives of both international relations theory and American diplomatic history, Christopher Layne urges the desirability of a strategy he calls "offshore balancing." Rather than wield its considerable power to dominate other states, he asserts, the U.S. government could better achieve its security and foreign policy goals by engaging in diplomacy to balance large states and regions against one another. Book jacket.

Christopher Layne is Associate Professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A & M University