The Logic of Irregular War : Asymmetry and America’s Adversaries

An expert examination of the asymmetric strategies that are being pursued today by America's main state-based adversaries, and the implications for the United States. For the United States, asymmetric warfare has emerged as the “new normal.” The large-scale conventional campaigns that typified U.S. military engagements for much of the 20th Century are increasingly things of the past. Instead, the quarter-century since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the U.S.-Soviet balance of power has seen irregular war truly come of age, with more and more hostile nations pursuing asymmetric means in order to secure the strategic advantage vis-à-vis the United States. In this volume, a group of leading national security practitioners and subject matter experts comes together to analyze the asymmetric strategies being pursued today by America’s main state-based adversaries—Russia, China, Iran and North Korea—and to explore how U.S. policymakers can respond more effectively to them. Read more... An Expert Examination Of The Asymmetric Strategies That Are Being Pursued Today By America's Main State-based Adversaries, And The Implications For The United States. Introduction : Thinging About Asymmetry / Han Berman -- The Chinese Way Of Asymmetric War / Larry M. Wortzel -- Russia's Asymmetric Strategy For Contemporary And Future War / Stephen Blank -- The Strategies And Methods Of Iranian Asymmetric War / Ladan Yazdian -- The Asymmetric Strategies Of The Dprk / Daniel A. Pinkston -- Conclusion : Adapting To Asymmetry / Han Berman -- List Of Contributions. Edited By Ilan Berman. Includes Bibliographical References. Introduction: Thinking about Asymmetry / Ilan Berman -- The Chinese Way of Asymmetric War / Larry M. Wortzel -- Russia's Asymmetric Strategy for Contemporary and Future War / Stephen Blank -- The Strategies and Methods of Iranian Asymmetric War / Ladan Yazdian -- The Asymmetric Strategies of the DPRK / Daniel A. Pinkston -- Conclusion: Adapting to Asymmetry / Ilan Berman -- List of Contributors