Asymmetric Warfare Flashcards

Flashcards on Asymmetric Warfare, covering definitions, conflict trends, military power, and societal impacts.

Carl von Clausewitz's Definition of War

War is the continuation of politics by other means.

Recent Conflict Trend 1

Hazy borderline between inter-state conflicts and conflicts within states.

Recent Conflict Trend 2

Erosion of the distinction between outer and inner security

Recent Conflict Trend 3

Erosion of the distinction between combatants and non-combatants and a new predominance of civil casualties.

Recent Conflict Trend 4

Privatization and commercialization of war.

Recent Conflict Trend 5

Obscure distinction between war and peace, low-intensity wars, long duration of wars.

Recent Conflict Trend 6

Automatization of forms of violence

Asymmetric Warfare

War between actors with significant military power difference.

Symmetric Warfare

War between actors with insignificant military power difference.

Asymmetry of Military Force - The Powerful

The superior side prevents the weaker side’s effort to re-symmetrize by pre-emptive disarmament wars or preventing nuclear armament.

Compensating for Asymmetry – The Weaker Side

The stronger side has definitive superiority in an open battle, so the weaker side eludes open confrontation.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

Regulates the conduct of armed conflict, balancing humanitarian concerns and military necessity.

Four Core International Crimes (Rome Statute)

Genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

Heroic Societies

Societies held together by honor and sacrifice.

Post-Heroic Societies

Societies characterized by law, trading, pursuit of prosperity, peacefulness and the lack of willingness to make sacrifices for a collective cause.

Democratic Peace Theory

Democracies are hesitant to engage in armed conflict with other identified democracies.

Poorer societies rely on the

Cultivation of heroic skills and asymmetric warfare tactics (guerrilla warfare, terrorism).