Covert Regime Change

In Covert Regime Change, Lindsey A. O’Rourke explores how states primarily use covert operations—such as assassinations, coups, and election meddling—rather than overt warfare to overthrow foreign governments. Through an original dataset of American regime change efforts during the Cold War, O’Rourke examines the motivations behind these clandestine actions, their preferred methods, and their relative success in achieving foreign policy objectives. The book sheds light on the underlying security interests that drive such interventions and why they are often conducted in secrecy.