Limits of Law, Prerogatives of Power: Interventionism After Kosovo. By Michael J. Glennon. New York: Palgrave, 2001. 250p. $49.95

Extract

Michael Glennon's recent work is the best book written on international law and the use of force in the past 40 years. While this may seem to be a bold statement, I make it for three reasons. First, Glennon's conception of international law that forms the basis of his analysis reflects an accurate understanding of the nature of the international system and the realities of international relations. Second, his analytical method reveals the dynamics of how states constitute rules of international law. Third, he offers a realistic conclusion about the current, woeful status of the law, but provides hope for future improvements. Let me say a word about each of these points.