Includes bibliographical references and index

Contents: Ben-Gurion: The origins of militarism-- The destruction of Israel's second prime minister-- Suez crisis: Ben-Gurion goes to war-- Israel as detonator-- The rise of the generals-- Six-day war: the military revolts-- War as policy: Nasser and the PLO-- The high price of militarism: Yom Kippur-- Rabin: from general to prime minister-- Begin: a peace to enable war-- The Sabra Caesar: Sharon in Lebanon-- Protecting the ruling elite-- Intifada: the intimate enemy awakes-- Peace strategy: the new Yitzhak-- Oslo: Wary generals waging peace-- Bibi against the military elite-- Barak: the arrogance of power-- Sharon: the last campaign against Arafat-- At Wit's end: Killing the paraplegic preacher-- olmert: putting Lebanon back twenty years-- War (on Syria) war (on Gaza) war (on Iran)