|
David and Goliath
A big standing military can breed a false sense of invincibility, but in war, victory doesn't always go to the side with the most troops or the best technology. "Asymmetrical warfare" is a concept in modern military theory through which a smaller or technologically inferior force can exhaust and eventually overcome a larger and better-equipped force, by causing the larger force to endure disproportional losses that sap morale and funds. Asymmetrical warfare drove the British Empire to relinquish control of the United States and forced the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan.
A related idea is "fourth-generation warfare," describing a highly-decentralized fighting force, emphasizing cultural identity over national unity, and often employing tactics censured by the "civilized" world-such as terror attacks or deliberate targeting of noncombatants. US militia movements, and other similar paramilitaries around the world, are well versed in fourth-generation and asymmetrical warfare.
|
