Book excerpt: Seeks to provide a contemporary picture of Israel's political-military doctrine. Focuses on its conditioning factors, such as Israel's view of the military threat to its security, the constraints under which it operates, and the assets it disposes of. Political-military elements of the doctrine include Israeli approaches to deterrence, war objectives, "defensible borders," and others; operational elements of the doctrine include emphasis on swift offensives, indirect approach, the special role of the Air Force and Armored Corps, and others. The study analyzes past posture and behavior, but discusses evolution and change only selectively with the purpose of elucidating the contemporary relevance of various themes and concepts.