Security and International Relations in Central Africa / Progress in Mathematics (PDF)

"An exceptional book. A detailed personal account of recent, very impressive, French combat operations in central Africa and long term thinking on the military and political challenges of similar campaigns, in Africa and elsewhere."

--John Scarlett KCMG OBE, former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), United Kingdom.

"Commanding a battlegroup composed of legionnaires and mountain troops, Dirou's mission was broader and more complex than the pure use of military force against the armed groups terrorising the population. His book, combines story-telling power with the insights of a seasoned soldier whose battlegroup conducted itself with expertise and distinction in an often inhospitable terrain. It is an important contribution to our understanding of today's conflicts".

---Professor Beatrice Heuser, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.

The book explains in practical terms the theoretical teachings of African politics, international relations, and war studies experts, based on operational experiences. The evolution of military engagement and related international legal concepts has profoundly modified the approach to combat and its conduct in the field. The author argues that war studies and the African political landscape have changed significantly in recent years. Therefore, the author asks the question of whether true, enduring, and decisive victory is still possible in contemporary conflicts. Even if the response is positive, is it possible for political and development leaders to understand how best to take advantage of victory for the people of that country?

Armel Dirou is Researcher and Military Attaché in the UK and Non-Resident Defence Attaché in Ireland.