Unconventional warfare

Introduction The failure of the Iraq and Afghanistan War has triggered an immense increase in the number of academic literature regarding asymmetrical warfare. It is generally assumed that the power disparity between a strong state and a weaker non-state opponent would permit the stronger adversary to win. However, history illustrates a different picture, since weak non-state actors have been the side reaping victory. This paper will limit its scope by examining why strong counterinsurgent…

A hybrid threat is a combination of regular forces, irregular forces, and criminal elements. Hybrid threats may be nation-state actors such as conventional core state armies or non-state actors such as terrorist organizations. These forces and organizations may work together, either purposefully or not, to achieve mutually beneficial effects on the battlefield. Defeating a hybrid threat requires adaptiveness, and the ability to react quickly. Hybrid threats are highly adaptive adversaries…

However, after analyzing the history of asymmetric warfare and the changes and behaviors that have taken place through this time, I have become critical of the assumption that asymmetric warfare has ever ‘risen’. Warfare, in which weak actors have fought against unassailable opponents within their means and resources, is not a type of warfare that can be considered new. The notion of a “rise of asymmetric warfare” may be loaded with assumptions related to Western imperialism and…

Insurgency, as defined by author Seth Jones, is “a political military campaign by non-state actors who seek to overthrow a government or secede from a country through the use of unconventional—and sometimes conventional—military strategies.” There are two distinct instances of insurgency in the Middle East that aptly convey this definition: Iraq and Afghanistan. Comparatively these to cases are quite similar in motivation and success. It is the act of counter-insurgency by outside forces that…

frequently seen form of modern warfare is asymmetric warfare/conflict, which is a result of armed conflict between parties with unequal military position. Within an asymmetric warfare, traditional jus in bello principles are questioned on their application to each side of combatants and noncombatants based on the uneven resources and military advantages. In this essay, I would like to compare and contrast two different arguments regarding jus in bello principles in asymmetric warfare. In his…

Perhaps one of the most widely debated topics, in recent years, is the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The completion of the project has been done in multiple phases and one of the last phases scheduled to be completed is the phase 4 extension. This extension would create a pipeline that would trek, around 2000 miles, from Alberta Canada to the gulf coast of Texas (Friends of the Earth). Since the pipeline would cross international borders, approval from congress would be necessary in…

combination of regular forces, irregular forces, and criminal elements all unified to achieve mutually benefiting effects . While an exact agreed upon definition is a current a topic of debate, it is essentially the blending of multiple types of warfare to exploit the weaknesses of a stronger adversary. Hybrid threats, regardless of the definition used, have numerous aspects in common. A theme seen throughout hybrid threat organizations is their ability to fluidly react to their adversary on…

Chemical Warfare: An “Unconvential” threat Throughout the history of war, techniques and use of weapons in warfare have been improved over the years. Although some weapons and certain techniques are entirely new, the use of certain weapons such as Chemical Warfare have been around since WW1. Many have thought of Chemical Weapons as being too dangerous while others think it is necessary and essential to modern warfare. What threats does Chemical warfare pose to soldiers and civilians around the…

2003. The second category is Special Operations Forces or SOF who are used to fight an unconventional enemy such as insurgencies. Some examples would be SOF battling insurgent groups in the Afghanistan War in 2001 and the War in Iraq during 2003 after Saddam was removed from power when the U.S. was fighting insurgencies. Also, both conventional forces and SOF can be used in conventional or unconventional warfare. Therefore, how does the…

Terrorism is defined as asymmetrical warfare using unconventional methods of wars against the US and Western allies wrote many specialists. Fighting terrorism required many means among others. The US and its allies are embarrassed of systematic use of military force against the modern terrorist organizations. First, in international affairs and politics, military forces of a country fights its counterparts of other countries, so it appears for US authorities illegal to use the military against…