COLONEL JOHN B. ALEXANDER's concepts have appeared in Michael Crichton's The Lost World, Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor, and other books. Future War is the first comprehensive book written by an expert in the field of non-lethal armaments. Colonel Alexander participated in the landmark Council on Foreign Relations study of non-lethal weapons and chaired the first major conferences on the topic. His extensive military experience includes commanding Green Berets in Vietnam as well as conducting research and development in advanced weapons. For five years he was a deputy sheriff in Dade County, Florida.

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Colonel Alexander recognized the dramatic changes then occurring. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, he developed the concept of Non-Lethal Defense, which he presented to senior defense, industry, and academic officials. Politically, his work involved meetings with Members of Congress, White House and National Security Council staff, and the Director of Central Intelligence. As NATO became interested, he served as a U.S. representative on three international studies. He currently is the science director for a private research organization in Las Vegas and consultant to the U.S. government.

The nature of warfare has changed! Future War describes the reality of conflicts that are already beginning to take place, both in foreign lands and in our cities. Like it or not, it is your future and that of the soldiers and police who protect us. Terrorism has established a firm foothold worldwide. Economics and environmental issues are inextricably entwined on a global basis and tied directly to national regional security.

Non-lethal weapons are a pragmatic application of force, not a peace movement. Ranging from old rubber bullets and tear gas to exotic advanced systems that can paralyze a country, they are essential for the preservation of peace and stability. Future War explains exactly how non-lethal electromagnetic and pulsed-power weapons, the laser and tazer, chemical systems, computer viruses, ultrasound and infrasound, and even biological entities will be used to stop enemies.