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WHAT WAR HASN’T BEEN

In the seven decades since the last World War, warfare has been overwhelmingly characterized by proxy conflicts, regional wars and “submilitary” violence. What war hasn’t been—for American forces—is sustained state-vs.-state combat. But Americans still tend to talk about our military’s ability to fight and win as if we face only nation-states. And we incorrectly assume that a military prepared to defeat big enemies is inherently ready to conduct a broad range of actions only nation-states. And we incorrectly assume that a military prepared to defeat big enemies is inherently ready to conduct a broad range of actions in smaller, more complex campaigns.

This thinking is flawed and outdated; we are oversimplifying and wishing away the complexities of a chaotic, cyber-empowered and highly globalized world. Technology continues to cause disruption; armed, unmanned vehicles will be constants on the battlefields of the future. And violent conflict is increasingly taking place in what experts call the “gray zone.”

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WHAT WAR HASN’T BEEN

In the seven decades since the last World War, warfare has been overwhelmingly characterized by proxy conflicts, regional wars and “submilitary” violence. What war hasn’t been—for American forces—is sustained state-vs.-state combat. But Americans still tend to talk about our military’s ability to fight and win as if we face only nation-states. And we incorrectly assume that a military prepared to defeat big enemies is inherently ready to conduct a broad range of actions only nation-states. And we incorrectly assume that a military prepared to defeat big enemies is inherently ready to conduct a broad range of actions in smaller, more complex campaigns.

This thinking is flawed and outdated; we are oversimplifying and wishing away the complexities of a chaotic, cyber-empowered and highly globalized world. Technology continues to cause disruption; armed, unmanned vehicles will be constants on the battlefields of the future. And violent conflict is increasingly taking place in what experts call the “gray zone.”

Read More- The Wall Street Journal

 

 

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The SOFREP News Team is a collective of professional military journalists. Brandon Tyler Webb is the SOFREP News Team's Editor-in-Chief. Guy D. McCardle is the SOFREP News Team's Managing Editor. Brandon and Guy both manage the SOFREP News Team.

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