Future War in cities: Rethinking a Liberal Dilemma

Discusses the moral and legal constraints on the use of force that the armies of liberal states must face when fighting in urban areas. Hills examines the experiences of the Russians in Grozny, the Americans in Hue and Baghdad, and the British in Northern Ireland among others. Hills concludes that the best approach for Western forces facing the daunting task of urban operations is to resort to well trained and well led infantry—an approach that commanders have followed throughout the ages when faced with the strategic conundrum of their time.