Bombs without Boots: the Limits of Airpower

Analysing five airpower-centric military operations and their post-conflict outcomes since the 1990s, Bombs without Boots: the Limits of Airpower proffers thoughtful new discussion about the balance between the advantages and limitations of airpower when employed in isolation, without supporting ground forces. Can such operations achieve decisive victory without the commitment of external ground forces? Schinella, a long-time US intelligence analyst, wades headfirst into this thorny contemporary military issue with his examination of Bosnia in 1995, Kosovo in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001, Lebanon in 2006, and Libya in 2011, asking whether the long-term outcomes of these operations are in fact aligned with policymakers’ original intent. His conclusions in this thoroughly sourced and excellently crafted work provide useful insight for officers at all levels to consider when assessing appropriate military response through varying applications of force.