Terror and Consent by Philip Bobbit (Penguin, £7.99) Almost every

idea we hold about terrorism and its relationship to wars against terror is wrong, says Philip Bobbit. In his massive new book the military historian and political strategist applies himself to the terrorism threat of the 21st century. We are using outdated weapons and concepts, Bobbit says, and we need to consider that victory in the wars of the new century will be seen in the protection of human rights and in the enforcement of the rule of law, and in the creation of what he calls “states of consent” as opposed to “states of terror”. The idea that the threat comes from states is an anachronism from the wars of the last century. Today, he says: “Terrorism itself might become a threat to the legitimacy of those states that depend upon the consent of the governed.” Bobbit writes in cool, lapidary language, which only increases the force of what he says.