21st century terrorists changing the face of war

By Dick Pelletier

      

    In The American Way of War, historian Russell Weigley describes a crushing strategy of destruction used by the U.S. over the last 150 years.

    To end the Civil War, Grant felt he had to completely destroy Lee's soldiers; in World War I, Pershing relentlessly bombarded and wore down Germany's proud fighting machine; and the Army Air Corps pulverized major German and Japanese cities to win World War II.

    These wars were not won by tactical or strategic brilliance but by the sheer weight of numbers, the awesome destructive power that only a fully mobilized and highly industrialized democracy can bring to bear.

    In these conflicts, U.S. armies suffered and inflicted massive casualties. Our ability to inflict and endure such casualties more effectively than could our adversaries ultimately resulted in victory.

    However, these tactics are no longer effective. Inspired by information technologies and robotics, the U.S. has adopted new techniques that eliminate the bloody matches of old. The new style seeks quick victory with minimal casualties on both sides utilizing speed, flexibility, and surprise. This procedure was demonstrated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

    But now, even this latest approach is inadequate. Today, we are experiencing warfare in which dominant military powers are confronted by groups of ideological extremists emboldened by radical religious' beliefs, bent on inflicting harm while capitalizing on publicity. These groups include al Qaeda, the Taliban, Hamas, and many others.

    And the danger isn't about to go away anytime soon. From suicide bombers to bio-warfare attacks; according to a national security panel assembled at a recent congressional meeting, the world faces an estimated 50 percent chance of a terrorist WMD strike within five years.

    Experts believe that radicals with biological weapons could cause unthinkable horrors. A single terrorist infected with a contagious disease that has been genetically altered to slow the infection process, could enter a large city and infect others who would then infect others. People would become carriers before they even realized they were infected. By the time authorities became aware of the threat, more than a million victims could be on their way to dying.

    So how can we defend against such a danger? The panelists saw no easy solutions, but they suggested measures that would minimize the risks. "America should increase public awareness about contagious diseases; stock more vaccination supplies; criminalize unauthorized use of pathogens; and above all, convince every country in the world to join forces to fight bio-warfare."

    Nevertheless, positive futurists believe that this will not be enough. It may require future technologies to eliminate the threat of terrorism completely.

    Within two decades, biotechnologies will improve health and extend lives, and nanotechnology is expected to end food, water, and energy shortages. As these breakthroughs materialize, they will increase prosperity and eliminate much of the underlying causes of unrest in developing nations.

    And even more important, will be the development of a better understanding of consciousness expected by mid-2020s, combined with tomorrow's artificial intelligence. These advances could lead to mind-enhancements that would reduce; or even eliminate human tendencies to commit violence towards each other.

    Some may cry 'big brother', but most people would welcome a safer, "magical future" world.

This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.