Fourth Generation
As technology far outstrips the abilities of a human, people, not necessarily commanders, realized that fighting a war against a modern military is tantamount to suicide, even more so than before, and suicide is only a strategy for inspiration. Nobody won a war by dying better than the other side.
The fourth generation of warfare is a reaction, not necessarily to any previous generation of warfare, but to the technologies and power stemming from previous military and political developments. This style of warfare is the strictest interpretation of the expression "Warfare is a continuation of politics by other means." Instead of trying to even fight, fourth generation leaders use force to promote their goal.
It is the ultimate merging of the military and the civilian sectors because no target is above consideration. Often, the ultimate goal is to persuade a greater power that, whatever their goal is, it is much too expensive given the economic, time, and human costs. Among the weapons available are terror, propaganda, secrecy, and if all else fails, force.
However, fourth generation warfare is not just seen in these irregular groups. It can also be used by large countries wanting to avoid war.
Here, I mean cyberwarfare. By avoiding costly and destructive war, large countries can retain their infrastructure while striking at each other. This is the warning of my entire column, that warfare is no longer measured in tanks, ships, and men. All of the previous eras of war have definitively shifted with a bang, but the beginnings can be seen years earlier.
In this case, the cyberattacks flying between countries is the herald of the times to come. By the time the world wakes up to the era-changing bang, somebody will be on their knees, infrastructure crippled and economy drained.
For the sake America's future, don't let that be us.
No comments:
Post a Comment