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The Revolution in Strategic Affairs (Paperback)
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The Revolution in Strategic Affairs (Paperback)
Series: Adelphi series
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Rapid developments in information technology and precision weaponry
are said to herald a 'revolution in military affairs' (RMA), making
possible quick and decisive victories with minimal casualties and
collateral damage. But has such a revolution taken place? The
issues that drive conflict will persist, and many of the technical
advances associated with the RMA will not necessarily produce a
transformation in the nature of warfare. The end of the Cold War
has highlighted another revolution one in political affairs. Major
powers appear less likely to go to war with one another than they
are to intervene in conflicts involving weak states, with potential
opponents including militia groups, drug cartels and terrorists.
RMA technology may be less suited to conflicts such as these. If
the cumulative effect of these changes has produced a revolution,
it is a revolution in strategic, as much as military, affairs. This
paper argues that: * the RMA is the practical expression of a
'Western Way of Warfare', the key features of which are:
professional armed forces; intolerance of casualties; and
intolerance of collateral damage * the key technological and
conceptual components of the RMA were in place by the early 1970s.
The trend has therefore been evolutionary, rather than
revolutionary. The significant difference is in the new political
setting of the end of the Cold War, and the revolution in
perceptions of Western particularly US conventional military
strength brought about by the Gulf War of 1991 * the Gulf conflict
could mark the start of a true 'revolution' if future battles offer
similar opportunities to exploit the RMA's technology. However,
since the US and its allies appear unbeatable when fighting on
their own terms, future opponents will fight differently * the West
will therefore face opponents who will follow strategies that
contradict the Western Way of Warfare. They will avoid pitched
battles, will exploit the West's reluctance to inflict civilian
suffering, and will target their opponent's domestic political
base, as much as its forward troops. The problem for the West is
not how to prevail, but how to do so in an acceptable manner. The
more warfare becomes entwined with civilian activity, the more
difficult it is to respond with the type of decisive and
overwhelming military means embodied in the RMA. The RMA does not
create a situation in which information is the only commodity at
stake, and so does not offer the prospect of a 'virtual war'. The
new circumstances and capabilities do not prescribe one strategy,
but extend the range of strategies available. The issue underlying
the RMA is the ability of Western countries, in particular the US,
to follow a line geared to their own interests and capabilities.
General
Imprint: |
Oxford UniversityPress
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Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Adelphi series |
Release date: |
February 2022 |
First published: |
1998 |
Authors: |
Lawrence Freedman
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Dimensions: |
234 x 156 x 3mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
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Pages: |
88 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-19-922369-5 |
Categories: |
Books
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LSN: |
0-19-922369-6 |
Barcode: |
9780199223695 |
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