"To avoid nuclear war and to contain and gradually to diminish the potential for nuclear devastation: these are the most compelling imperatives of our time."

Drawing from the findings of the Stanford Task Force on Preventive Force, Abraham Sofaer offers a practical guide to identifying and considering the issues relevant to preventive uses of force, in the hope that such uses of force, if undertaken, will advance national and international security and the purposes of the United Nations Charter. The book examines such key questions as What are the dangers and limitations of relying on preventive force in dealing with security threats? When, if ever, would states be justified in using preventive force without U. N. Security Council approval? What standards and procedures could enhance the legitimacy of preventive force?