If we acknowledge that the new
principles of war are no longer "using armed force to compel the enemy to submit
to one's will," but rather are "using all means, including armed force or
non-armed force, military and non-military, and lethal and non-lethal means to
compel the enemy to accept one's interests."
(Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, PLA)
A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within
a country is called war. From the day first the wars and conflicts exists in
human history. Clash of interest is the cause of conflict or war. The states
could not exist in isolation, they are interdependent, they have to interact
with each other, in such interaction process the power full states exploit the
weaker ones.
By the time with the
advancement of technology war fighting has also been changed. Defeating enemy is
ultimate goal which is achieved by applying, utilizing all resources and
applying all means. War fighting tactics have been transformed from simple to
complex, from small to large scale wars.
We are living in 5th generation warfare from 1st travelling from 2nd, 3rd and
4th generation warfare now the less lethal but more destructive warfare era.
First-generation warfare depended on manpower, the largest number of warriors
strong men fighting physically. In ancient times battles were fought with massed
manpower using line and column tactics. The armies were uniformed, soldiers were
governed by the state.
Then comes the second generation of warfare, the invention of the breech-loading
rifled musket meant longer range, greater accuracy, and faster rate of fire.
Marching ranks of men straight into a barrage of fire from such weapons would
cause tremendous rates of casualties, so a new strategy was developed.
The use of tanks, mechanized infantry, and close air support, the military were
able to quickly break through linear defenses and capture the rear where the
elements of 3rd generation warfare.
The contributions of the third generation were based on the concept of
overcoming technological disadvantage through the use of clever strategy.
The evolved form of insurgency warfare witnessed during the Chinese Revolution
and later in Vietnam and Afghanistan has been called fourth-generation warfare.
In fourth generation warfare, state fought with non state actors fighting for
the interest of sponsoring state. All means of war fighting are utilized
economic, social, political and military power is utilized to convince the
enemy‘s political decision makers that their strategic goals are either
unachievable or too costly for the perceived benefit. It is an evolved form of
insurgency.
Evolution of 4th Generation Warfare was comparatively quick and has been the
dominant form of warfare for many years, it‘s time for 5th Generation Warfare to
make an appearance.
Things would be bad enough with just fourth generation opponents but as the
research on global guerrillas has borne out, a new more dangerous generation is
forming: potentially a 5th generation of warfare.
Fifth-generation warfare will result from the continued shift of political and
social loyalties to causes rather than nations. This century is all about
biology, rising food demand and thus dependencies intensify by climate change.
Welcome to 5 Generation Warfare, It's not physically violent but it's
culturally, socially, and economically destructive, which is ultimate goal of
any war: political defeat. 4thGeneration War was network against state. Think
Al-Qaeda vs. America. 5th Generation War is network against network, market
against market, community against community.
India, US, Afghanistan, NATO, Kashmir, War on terror, fundamentalists, sectarian
divide, nuclear proliferation, derailed economy, corruption, food and energy
crisis, natural disasters, bad governance, water crisis, sub-nationals, Raymond
Davis, Osama operation, and off late NATO attack on Salala check post. What else
complexities are needed to define a nation right into the most complicated war
of the world.
Present day challenges for Pakistan are unprecedented among the nations.
Pakistan is combating against own allies of one front on another front. Are we
in a 5thGeneration War?
In case, right realization is there it will bring out right response. This
evolving generation of warfare demands something extra then routine strategic
and military planning and preparation. Evolution of national strategy must take
place, side by side with evaluating trends in warfare. National institutions
like National Security Council (NSC) and Defense Cabinet Committee must evolve a
mechanism which should provide constant feedback to these institutions.
Independent think tanks like Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) and
Islamabad Strategic Studies Institute (ISSI) are best suited for the task.
Economic infrastructure should
be able to defend itself against global recessions, enemies sabotage and natural
disasters. Economy should ensure continuous supply of food and energy, as both
will ensure sound economy in turn. It is recommended that DCC or NSC should also
consider such matters as vital for country‘s defense and must suggest policy
guidelines to all institutes, govt. departments and private sector as well.
Resources of a nation must not only be available in abundance but also be able
to replace it with each other. For example, if country is in shortage of food,
it’s military or Diplomatic resource should be able to ensure uninterrupted
supply from other nations.
Media policy and instrument has to be designed that it should ensure national
interest and also appear as free and unbiased. As major chunk of this war is
information warfare, media and its use has to be given due importance.
Last but not the least,
military muscle should be strong, flexible enough to absorb and respond to
evolving trends in warfare.
As discussed above, military muscle must be robust and strong enough to respond
to emerging threats. There is a large debate among defense circles about
conventional and unconventional responses. It is immaterial, whether threat is
conventional or unconventional we have to respond. Rather it is suggested that
today 5th Generation Warfare threats are conventions of the day and more focus
be placed on these.
Fifth-generation warfare will result from the continued shift of political
andsocial loyalties to causes rather than nations. It will be marked by the
increasing power of smaller and smaller entities and the explosion of
biotechnology.
5th generation warfare truly be a nets-and-jets war. Whoever is first to
recognize, understand, and implement a generational change can gain a decisive
advantage. Conversely, a nation that is slow to adapt to generational change
opens itself to catastrophic defeat.
To counter the fifth generation warfare threats we must identify them. The
threats are not originated from religious extremism, but also from political and
economic deprivation amongst the ethnic communities. In Baluchistan, Gilgit
Baltistan and even in Sindh and KhyberPakhtunkhwa, the lack of development, poor
access to health facilities and education, joblessness are generating
frustrations.
The MQM under Altaf Hussain and the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) under Allah
Nazar Baloch were both culpable of violence rooted in this politico-economic
deprivation. The state should wakeup and address the economic and political
injustices of all deprived communities through genuine political reforms that
empower people at the local level. Infrastructural developments in
communications, water supply, health and education with focus on poverty
elimination should be the key sectors of our national security policy.
There should be zero tolerance for extremism and exploitation of people in the
name of religion or ethnic division should be another key area of the strategy.
There should be reforms in madrasah syllabus and there should be registration
along with control of funding be monitored. The state needs to wrest back the
control of the mosques from the clerics. If in Turkey, Malaysia and UAE the
mosques and Friday sermons could be regulated why the same can’t be done in
Pakistan. If we do not address the root cause and avoid the reforms, the
statuesque will remain there.
The threat of the fifth generation war can only be countered through a bold and
multi-dimensional national strategy, according due weight to military and
non-military components.
Zubair Akbar Tahir