Paradoxes of War

Abstract

War is apt to defy its traditional image in the future. If the end of past wars was to win by fighting better than one's adversary (violence marked by a hardware-driven, physical contest to destroy the enemy's means), the end of future wars may be not to lose by not fighting an adversary (peaceful competition characterized by a software-driven, moral and cerebral contest to change perceptions). This is not simply a choice between conventional and unconventional images of war. We must reinvent war by redefining its nature. Armed conflict as it has been known is beyond the capacity of most nations today. Military victory no longer enjoys the cachet that it once bore. By understanding the paradoxes of war we will help to ensure the future success of the Armed Forces.

Published in Joint Force Quarterly (JFQ), p7-16, Spring 1994.