DAVID'S SLING: IRREGULAR WARFARE AS A SMALL STATE'S STRATEGY OPTION
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Authors
Gregor, Dusan
Subjects
irregular warfare
grand strategy
strategy
indirect approach
command and control
information
intelligence
fires
movement and maneuver
protection
sustainment
grand strategy
strategy
indirect approach
command and control
information
intelligence
fires
movement and maneuver
protection
sustainment
Advisors
Sepp, Kalev I.
Blanken, Leo J.
Date of Issue
2020-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The foremost task of every military is to win the nation’s wars and protect its freedom, independence, and territorial integrity. Today, great powers are fielding powerful combined-arms militaries capable of operating in various domains. However, as the big players’ military power increases, the political and military leaders of small states face a challenge of the utmost importance—how to retain crucial military capabilities and potentially prevail against a technologically and numerically superior enemy. Unfortunately, small states often try to emulate the warfighting capabilities of great powers. However, this approach is associated with a risk that, due to limited financial, technological, material, and human resources, a small nation’s military would not pose a credible deterrence and, if deterrence fails, may not repel a superior assailant. Yet, there exists another strategic alternative. This thesis introduces the irregular warfare concept as a strategic option that could increase the chances of a small nation’s military to defy even a conventionally much stronger foe. The concept is analyzed in the context of command and control, information, intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection, and sustainment—in regular military parlance known as joint functions. This work distilled applicable lessons from various asymmetric conflicts and proposes irregular warfare as a viable strategy that can imbalance a superior enemy and result in an unlikely victory.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Defense Analysis (DA)
Organization
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited
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Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.