"War is one of the great themes of human history, and now, John Mueller believes, it is clearly declining. Developed nations have generally abandoned it as a way for conducting their relations with other countries, and most current warfare (though not all) is opportunistic predation waged by packs - often remarkably small ones - of criminals and bullies. Thus, argues Mueller, war has been substantially reduced to its remnants - or dregs - and thugs are the residual combatants."--BOOK JACKET.