Challenging the United States Symmetrically and Asymmetrically: Can America be Defeated? Technology, Myth of Blitzkrieg, Terrorism

Nonfiction, History, Military, Strategy
Cover of the book Challenging the United States Symmetrically and Asymmetrically: Can America be Defeated? Technology, Myth of Blitzkrieg, Terrorism by Progressive Management, Progressive Management
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Progressive Management ISBN: 9781310803161
Publisher: Progressive Management Publication: November 22, 2014
Imprint: Smashwords Edition Language: English
Author: Progressive Management
ISBN: 9781310803161
Publisher: Progressive Management
Publication: November 22, 2014
Imprint: Smashwords Edition
Language: English

The concept of asymmetrical warfare is a popular and much discussed issue in U.S. defense literature these days. Joint Vision 2010 (JV 2010), the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), and the National Military Strategy (NMS) are just a few of the documents that express concern about it. Understandably, the Secretary of Defense has made addressing the phenomenon a central theme of his administration.

All of that said, what exactly is meant by asymmetrical warfare? In broad terms it simply means warfare that seeks to avoid an opponent's strengths; it is an approach that tries to focus whatever may be one side's comparative advantages against its enemy's relative weaknesses. In a way, seeking asymmetries is fundamental to all warfighting. But in the modern context, asymmetrical warfare emphasizes what are popularly perceived as unconventional or nontraditional methodologies.

For most potential adversaries, attacking the United States asymmetrically is the only warfighting strategy they might reasonably consider for the foreseeable future. The Gulf War was an object lesson to military planners around the globe of the futility of attempting to confront the United States symmetrically, that is, with like forces and orthodox tactics.

The U.S. Army War College's Ninth Annual Strategy Conference was held at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. The theme of the conference was "Challenging the United States Symmetrically and Asymmetrically: Can America Be Defeated?" There were some 150 attendees, including active duty military personnel as well as members of academe, the U.S. Defense and service departments, think tanks, corporations, and news media.
This book is an outgrowth of that conference, though it makes no effort to present a comprehensive and literal record of events in the mold of traditional colloquium "proceedings." Rather, the book is organized as an anthology of selected conference presentations, complemented by sufficient notice of roundtable and question-and-answer discussion to provide a glimpse of the vigorous interplay of ideas evoked by this most timely of topics.

Preliminary Observations: Asymmetrical Warfare and the Western Mindset * Part I: Symmetries & Asymmetries - A Historical Perspective * Technology & Asymmetrics in Modern Warfare * The Myth of Blitzkrieg * Asymmetric Response to American Air Supremacy in Vietnam * Part II: Threats * Introduction * Takedown: Targets, Tools, & Technocracy * Information Peacekeeping: The Purest Form of War * Terrorism & Asymmetry * Metaphors & Modern Threats: Biological, Computer, and Cognitive Viruses * Our New Old Enemies * Part III: State-On-State Approaches * Introduction * How We Will Lose the War with Russia: A Critique of U.S. Military Strategy * Regional State Competitors: The Case of Iraq * Beyond Russia and China: A Survey of Threats to U.S. Security From Lesser States * Part IV: Roundtable on Future Responses-Robert H. Scales, Jr., Timothy A. Kinnan, and John Allen Williams

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The concept of asymmetrical warfare is a popular and much discussed issue in U.S. defense literature these days. Joint Vision 2010 (JV 2010), the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), and the National Military Strategy (NMS) are just a few of the documents that express concern about it. Understandably, the Secretary of Defense has made addressing the phenomenon a central theme of his administration.

All of that said, what exactly is meant by asymmetrical warfare? In broad terms it simply means warfare that seeks to avoid an opponent's strengths; it is an approach that tries to focus whatever may be one side's comparative advantages against its enemy's relative weaknesses. In a way, seeking asymmetries is fundamental to all warfighting. But in the modern context, asymmetrical warfare emphasizes what are popularly perceived as unconventional or nontraditional methodologies.

For most potential adversaries, attacking the United States asymmetrically is the only warfighting strategy they might reasonably consider for the foreseeable future. The Gulf War was an object lesson to military planners around the globe of the futility of attempting to confront the United States symmetrically, that is, with like forces and orthodox tactics.

The U.S. Army War College's Ninth Annual Strategy Conference was held at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. The theme of the conference was "Challenging the United States Symmetrically and Asymmetrically: Can America Be Defeated?" There were some 150 attendees, including active duty military personnel as well as members of academe, the U.S. Defense and service departments, think tanks, corporations, and news media.
This book is an outgrowth of that conference, though it makes no effort to present a comprehensive and literal record of events in the mold of traditional colloquium "proceedings." Rather, the book is organized as an anthology of selected conference presentations, complemented by sufficient notice of roundtable and question-and-answer discussion to provide a glimpse of the vigorous interplay of ideas evoked by this most timely of topics.

Preliminary Observations: Asymmetrical Warfare and the Western Mindset * Part I: Symmetries & Asymmetries - A Historical Perspective * Technology & Asymmetrics in Modern Warfare * The Myth of Blitzkrieg * Asymmetric Response to American Air Supremacy in Vietnam * Part II: Threats * Introduction * Takedown: Targets, Tools, & Technocracy * Information Peacekeeping: The Purest Form of War * Terrorism & Asymmetry * Metaphors & Modern Threats: Biological, Computer, and Cognitive Viruses * Our New Old Enemies * Part III: State-On-State Approaches * Introduction * How We Will Lose the War with Russia: A Critique of U.S. Military Strategy * Regional State Competitors: The Case of Iraq * Beyond Russia and China: A Survey of Threats to U.S. Security From Lesser States * Part IV: Roundtable on Future Responses-Robert H. Scales, Jr., Timothy A. Kinnan, and John Allen Williams

More books from Progressive Management

Cover of the book Deception, Disinformation, and Strategic Communications: How One Interagency Group Made a Major Difference - Cold War, COINTELPRO, CHAOS, Reagan, Soviet Active Measures, KGB, Gorbachev by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century FEMA Study Course: Introduction to Hazard Mitigation (IS-393.a) - Flood, Earthquake, Tornado, Hurricane, Wildfire, Critical Facilities Protection, Community Programs by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Improved Intelligence Warning in an Age of Complexity: IC Community, CIA, DIA, DNI, FBI Interagency Analysis and Failures, Complex Adaptive Systems to Develop Novel Responses to Threats by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Archaeology, Anthropology, and Interstellar Communication, History of SETI, Astrobiology, Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Space Aliens, Primer on Cosmology, Search for Radio Messages by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Fighting a Nuclear-Armed Regional Opponent: Is Victory Possible? Earth Penetration Warheads, EMP, High-Altitude Nuclear Detonation (HAND), Nuclear Weapons Effects, Nuclear Proliferation by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Space Elevators: Advanced Earth-Space Infrastructure: NASA Report on Technology, Plans, Concepts, Materials, Environmental and Safety Issues by Progressive Management
Cover of the book People's Republic of China Anti-Satellite (ASAT) and Space Warfare Programs, Policies and Doctrines: An Assessment including the 2007 Shootdown Incident, Space Weapons by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Linking Legacies: Connecting the Cold War Nuclear Weapons Production Processes To Their Environmental Consequences - Nuclear and Radioactive Waste, Environmental Contamination by Progressive Management
Cover of the book The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) in Egypt, Jordan and Syria: A Comparison - Tawid, Jihad, Islamist, jam'iyah, Nasser, Siba'i, Islamic Action Front (IAF), History, Ideology, Oppression, Government Policies by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Programs and Research: Computing, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Materials, Mathematics, Physics, Electronics, Mechanical Science, Environmental Sciences by Progressive Management
Cover of the book One Valley at a Time - Success Story of the Afghanistan Counterinsurgency (COIN) Campaign Against Taliban and al-Qaeda Terrorists, Special Operations Forces (SOF), Civil Military Operations (CMO) by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Cancer Sourcebook: Myelodysplastic / Myeloproliferative (MDS/MPN) Neoplasms, Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), aCML, Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML), MDS/MPN-UC by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 2014: The Future of American Airpower - America's Air Force: a Call to the Future, Agile USAF, Naval Aviation Vision 2014-2025, Air-Sea Battle, ISR, UCLASS, X-47B, F-35, 21st Century Deterrence by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Federal Prisons: Community Volunteer Handbook, Offender Transition Program Resource Manual (Jobs, Assistance), Legal Resource Guide to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Imprisonment by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Essential Guide to Russian Hybrid Warfare: Three Studies on Putin's Crimea Annexation, Assaults on Georgia, Ukraine and Syria, Proxy Forces and Little Green Men, NATO Strategy for Countering Threat by Progressive Management
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy