Edited by A. A. Gorbunov.

Moscow: Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. 2011. 208 p.

The Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies has published a collection of articles by Russian orientalists A.D. Vasiliev, V. Yu. Zaitsev, A. E. Kirichenko, V. V. Kudelev and P. V. Topychkanov on the armed forces in the system of state power in the countries of the East.

The publication provides a reasoned and detailed analysis of the evolution, current state and possible prospects of the role and place of the armed forces in the political life of modern countries. Many aspects of this topic are revealed using examples of the historical development and current state of Asian and African countries. The choice of Algeria, Guinea, Egypt, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey as examples is due to the fact that in these countries the role of the army in the system of state power and in socio-political life was and still remains very significant.

The authors of the collection paid considerable attention to the historical analysis of the involvement of the army leadership in politics after independence in Africa and Asia, showed the transformation of the influence of the officer corps on public administration in these countries, outlined changes in political control over the armed forces during the transition from authoritarianism to democracy in these countries, and also indicated the reasons for changes in military environment.

In addition, the articles reveal the role of the army in organizing coups and rebellions, the place of the armed forces in the studied states, the relationship between the military and state leadership in the field of foreign policy; much attention is paid to the issues of military organization, military construction of the studied countries, their military-technical cooperation with foreign states.

Special attention should be paid to some of the authors ' conclusions, which allow the reader to get a concentrated idea of the processes taking place in the political life of the countries under study.

The articles of the collection emphasize that the entry of the army into the political arena in Afro-Asian countries after their independence is due to the need to strengthen centralized state government in order to solve complex internal problems, preserve the unity and territorial integrity of the country, and protect its sovereignty from external threats. At the same time, the authors point out that the role of the army was far from unambiguous. Thus, in some cases, the coming to power of the military initiated large-scale and deep socio - economic transformations in society, in others it became a brake on the further development of the country. Examples are given of how in the context of the aggravation of ethnic and religious contradictions, the growth of social tension, the military often acted as a stabilizing force, both in their own country and in neighboring states or regions.

Further, the authors rightly note that the officer corps has traditionally played a very important role in many Asian and African countries, largely determining their foreign and domestic policies. To a large extent, this was due to the fact that the army remained one

one of the main suppliers of personnel for the state-administrative apparatus, state, and often private economic structures.

At the same time, a historical analysis conducted by the authors showed that in recent decades, the role of the military in politics and the system of state power has been declining in Asian and African countries. The vast majority of military regimes gradually transformed into societies with civilian rule. This process was due to the fact that changes in the political systems of these countries replaced the deep involvement of the armed forces in political activities with processes of socio-economic liberalization controlled from above. As a result, civil rulers increasingly sought to control the activities of the army, and took steps to limit its influence on the domestic and foreign policies of their states.

Speaking about changes in the military environment of the studied countries, the authors draw readers ' attention to the fact that the generation of participants in the struggle for independence is being replaced by young officers. At the same time, they are not as politicized as their predecessors. In addition, the military elite is not always united. This is evident in the armed forces of Pakistan, where there is a struggle for leadership among military leaders, which often leads to open clashes, including armed ones, between various army groups and clans. Similar situations occur in the armies of Algeria and Thailand.

Investigating the role of the army in organizing coups and rebellions, the authors show the causes of these situations. In general, in their opinion, the coming to power of the military in the studied countries was a consequence of the actual absence of any other real political force in society or the insufficient ability of the existing ruling groups to lead the state in the context of aggravation of internal political and social contradictions.

Analyzing the stage of transition of Asian and African countries from authoritarianism to democracy, many authors show that the factor of political control over the armed forces is becoming particularly important. In particular, the recent events in the Arab states of the Middle East and North Africa, called the "Arab Spring", the development of the situation in Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, and in a number of African states demonstrate examples of maintaining the important, and in some cases decisive, influence of the army on the development of the situation in the country. The authors note the growing desire of civilian elites to limit the role of the military in politics, to put the armed forces under strict control of the constitutional authorities. At the same time, the processes of liberalization and democratization in these countries are protracted and do not always differ in consistency, which is associated with the long rule of authoritarian and openly dictatorial regimes in a number of states. In these circumstances, the army in these countries remains the most capable political force.

Investigating the role and place of the armed forces in Asian and African countries, the authors emphasize that to a large extent the basis of the national army's influence in the country remains the function of ensuring defense, security and law and order, its active participation in the socio-economic and political development of the country. As a result, many authors conclude that military structures confidently confirm their position as one of the most influential institutions in society.

Much attention in the articles of the collection is paid to the issues of relations between military structures and state authorities in the field of foreign policy. Thus, it is indicated that the complex and unstable military-political situation and permanent tension in the region, as well as the presence of serious internal problems, cause the constant attention of the governments of the region's states to the requests of the military leadership for military construction, increasing the combat power and combat capabilities of national armies, equipping them with various types of modern weapons and military equipment.

Describing the military organization, military construction of the countries under study, and their military-technical cooperation with foreign states (with the exception of the article on the Turkish Armed Forces), the authors of the collection show with concrete examples that the governments of the countries they describe very often strive to meet the military's requests for the purchase of weapons and military equipment, including high-tech ones, where a significant part of national budgets is spent.

In general, the articles presented in the collection on the problems of relations between the military and state leadership of Asian and African countries will undoubtedly be useful for both specialists and a wide range of people interested in this problem. The presented material can contribute to a better understanding of the specifics of the modern political systems of the countries of this region, the role and place of the army in these systems, and help readers to better understand the ways and prospects of their evolution.

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