Low Intensity Conflict and the shift from mass destruction to precision-strikes are changing paradigms
The last decade of the twentieth century had a lasting impact on how the war doctrines would undergo a structural shift. First, the disintegration of the Soviet Union vindicated the fact that the secured existence of a nation cannot be guaranteed by the mere presence of a huge arsenal of weapon systems unless the economy is strong enough. Strangely enough, for forty long years, the US planned the demise of the USSR, but when that happened in reality, not a single bullet was fired. USSR was crippled by its own weight and for diverting critical economic resources for war preparedness, which took the economy into coma. It was from that time onwards that countries started keeping an eye on what proportion of their GDP goes into defence spending and that it doesn’t cross certain limits. On the other hand, countries like China, in their quest to increase the defence expenditure to fuel their global expansions, kept aside all their inhibitions with respect to economic globalisation and made sure that they became the key hub for global industrial production. They realised that it was only through this they can pile up their forex reserves and GDP for fuelling their defence spending. More GDP would mean more earnings from taxes, which then could be diverted for defence spending. Today, if USA is a superpower and if India and China are increasingly becoming forces to reckon with, it’s not just because of their growing military might but because of their increasing ability to compliment it with economic clout.
The two Gulf Wars and NATO crusades over Serbia with respect to the Kosovo issue reminded the world that the German concept of Blitzkrieg and US concept of ‘Shock and Awe’ have not lost their prominence till date. It also vindicated that war from now on would be decided on quality and not on quantity. The Iraqi Army was quantitatively far superior to the western force but was no match to the sophistication of US’s arsenal. So when the Tomahawk missiles were launched in hundreds from the US warships stationed in Persian Gulf and Red Sea followed by aerial bombings by the B-52, the B-1 and B-2 bombers, Iraqi forces were pulverised and almost defeated with their fleets of tanks and missiles of Russian vintage being of no match. The remaining work was finished by the ground invasion along with close air support from the Apache Attach Helicopters and A-10 Thunderbolt gunships. Even in the case of Kosovo war, US literally decimated Serbia with aerial bombing for 75 days. And that was good enough to make Serbia President Milosevic surrender. Truly so, blitzkrieg and ‘Shock and Awe’ was alive and thriving.
The last decade of the twentieth century had a lasting impact on how the war doctrines would undergo a structural shift. First, the disintegration of the Soviet Union vindicated the fact that the secured existence of a nation cannot be guaranteed by the mere presence of a huge arsenal of weapon systems unless the economy is strong enough. Strangely enough, for forty long years, the US planned the demise of the USSR, but when that happened in reality, not a single bullet was fired. USSR was crippled by its own weight and for diverting critical economic resources for war preparedness, which took the economy into coma. It was from that time onwards that countries started keeping an eye on what proportion of their GDP goes into defence spending and that it doesn’t cross certain limits. On the other hand, countries like China, in their quest to increase the defence expenditure to fuel their global expansions, kept aside all their inhibitions with respect to economic globalisation and made sure that they became the key hub for global industrial production. They realised that it was only through this they can pile up their forex reserves and GDP for fuelling their defence spending. More GDP would mean more earnings from taxes, which then could be diverted for defence spending. Today, if USA is a superpower and if India and China are increasingly becoming forces to reckon with, it’s not just because of their growing military might but because of their increasing ability to compliment it with economic clout.
The two Gulf Wars and NATO crusades over Serbia with respect to the Kosovo issue reminded the world that the German concept of Blitzkrieg and US concept of ‘Shock and Awe’ have not lost their prominence till date. It also vindicated that war from now on would be decided on quality and not on quantity. The Iraqi Army was quantitatively far superior to the western force but was no match to the sophistication of US’s arsenal. So when the Tomahawk missiles were launched in hundreds from the US warships stationed in Persian Gulf and Red Sea followed by aerial bombings by the B-52, the B-1 and B-2 bombers, Iraqi forces were pulverised and almost defeated with their fleets of tanks and missiles of Russian vintage being of no match. The remaining work was finished by the ground invasion along with close air support from the Apache Attach Helicopters and A-10 Thunderbolt gunships. Even in the case of Kosovo war, US literally decimated Serbia with aerial bombing for 75 days. And that was good enough to make Serbia President Milosevic surrender. Truly so, blitzkrieg and ‘Shock and Awe’ was alive and thriving.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM - FLP (Flexi Learning Program)
