Asymmetric Warfare

Asymmetric warfare is another type of war: war by guerrillas, subversives, insurgents and assassins; war by ambush instead of by combat; by infiltration instead of aggression, and seeking victory by eroding and exhausting the enemy instead of engaging him. It preys on economic unrest and ethnic and religious conflicts. It is population-centric, the population being the ultimate key to victory for both sides of the conflict. It requires new and different strategies, different sorts of forces and different types of military and intelligence training.

 

Asymmetric warfare in regions like China, Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and former colonies such as Algeria, Congo, and Rhodesia, demonstrates that smaller, poorly equipped insurgents with the peoples' support, can defeat professional, well-armed government forces, even those supported by foreign aid.

​

As global insurgencies and asymmetric warfare continue, Western political and military leaders grapple with defining effective counter-revolution strategies. While tactics vary by region, there are universal principles for building successful approaches.

​

Drawing from our experience in the Hurungwe counter-revolution campaign during the Rhodesian Civil War and international research, we aim to contribute to developing political and military doctrines for similar conflicts.

​

It may be time to rethink asymmetric warfare with a comprehensive approach encompassing politics, military strategy, and public engagement.

 

​