Asymmetric Warfare

Asymmetric warfare is a term that describes many conflicts in the post–Cold War era. Indeed, the period since the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, is sometimes called the “asymmetric warfare period.” This type of warfare can be defined as any conflict in which one side with overwhelming military power tries to impose its will on a weaker enemy, while that weaker enemy tries to compensate for its disadvantages, exploit the stronger adversary’s vulnerabilities, and stop or disrupt the adversary’s control. A simpler definition is an inferior power fighting a superior power as each side strives to exploit the other’s disadvantages. In asymmetric conflicts, the weaker side is called an insurgency, and the stronger side’s attempt to quell the insurgents is a ...