...An Irregular Warfare Strategy for Somalia Staff Sergeant Ondrae L. Meyers Enlisted Professional Military Education- Career Course 9 June 2014 In Somalia there is a constant battle that the country faces with a terroristic organization called Al Shabaab. Within these battles they do not use conventional warfare. The Al Shabaab do not have the support of the people and rule by commanding obedience through fear. In a conventional war military forces attempt to achieve strategic objectives against a recognized state. Irregular Warfare is when adversaries seek to isolate themselves from their external supporters and undermine their opponent’s legitimacy and credibility. Irregular Warfare is defined by the Department of Defense Directive 3000.07, (December 2008), as “A violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant population(s). Irregular warfare favors indirect and asymmetric approaches, though it may employ the full range of military and other capacities, in order to erode an adversary’s power, influence, and will.” There are specific applications of “keys to success”, in order to carry out the Irregular Warfare campaign. The two applications are unity of success and understanding the operational environment. Irregular Warfare is defined by Thomas Edward Lawrence, better known as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, as “Granted mobility, security (in the form of denying targets to the enemy), time, and doctrine (the idea to convert every...
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...Computers have modernized terrorism in the same way cyber terrorism revolutionized information warfare. There is no distinct definition of Cyber terrorism; however, its threat is as real as waging war but with weapons of automation. Terrorists have begun to exploit the availability of information with the malicious intent to sabotage; conversely, there are those who are not quite sure if information warfare - cyber terrorism is an actual threat. This research paper will briefly explore the history of cyber terrorism, the friend the internet has been to terrorist and how we can make the internet safer through vigilant tactics of prevention and deterrence. It will also expose the truth about cyber terrorism for the skeptic, reasons not to discount the threat, and why it is paramount their mind is changed. Information Warfare-Cyber Terrorism Did you know there were 18 cybercrime victims every second, 1058 every minute, approximately 64,000 per hour, and 1.5 million per day, that affected over 556 million people within the last year (Norton , 2012)? The internet has made it possible for terrorists to gather our public information and use it against us. As the internet matures so does the terrorist, finding ways to cripple and intimidate. The internet and terrorists have become a real hazard to the health of the cyber world. The government has implemented several organizations to help combat cyber terrorism but have not given it a clear concise definition. Skeptics...
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...Bioweapons (BW), germ warfare is the deliberate use of bacterial infections, fungi or toxin agents to kill or incapacitate, humans, animals or plants. It can be directed to an individual, group or an entire population. In history, a close link, between war and infectious disease has been identified. It is easily prepared and inexpensive to produce. Anthrax is a popular method that is a fatal disease of warm-blooded animals (sheep, Cattle) it is spore forming and transmissible to humans affecting their skin and lungs, characterized by ulcerative skin lesions. In the 1990’s Anthrax powder became popular. It is very infectious and has the stability in the spore to form in the respiratory route of aerosol infection and has a high mortality...
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...WHAT IS CHEMICAL WARFARE?- Definition of chemical/Chemicals Used – Before talking about the use of chemical warfare, I thought it would be best to describe what chemical warfare actually is. It is the use of chemical agents to kill, injure or incapacitate the enemy. An ex-Chemical warfare defense advisor for the Kuwait Ministry of Defense by the name of Hamad Al Hasawi says “It is not a bullet that you can dodge, or something you can go to the hospital and can take out. It is something that you may not know exists when you are walking down a street”. He lists the chemicals sarin, cyclosarin, soman, vx and novichok as the most threatening chemical agents in the world today. Sarin is typically odorless and colorless and takes one minute to kill a person. Sarin- -What is Sarin? Sarin is nerve agent that is colorless, odorless chemical that can kill you as little as a minute, in extreme cases. It was developed by German Researchers in the 1930's and it causes muscle spasms, vision loss, and asphyxia. This chemical is classified as a weapon of mass destruction. -How is Sarin Delivered? This is a dangerous chemical that can be deployed as a liquid, or loaded in to missiles and mortars. It can be packaged with other chemicals and converted in to nerve gas or fired from anti-tank guns and shoulder mounted launchers. Side effects of Syria- Sarin can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. It cripples the respiratory central of the central nervous system and paralyzes the...
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...Irregular warfare (IW) is defined as a violent struggle among state and nonstate actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant populations. IW favors indirect and asymmetric approaches, though it may employ the full range of military and other capabilities, in order to erode an adversary’s power, influence, and will. It is inherently a protracted struggle that will test the resolve of our Nation and our strategic partners. Our adversaries will pursue IW strategies, employing a hybrid of irregular, disruptive, traditional, and catastrophic capabilities to undermine and erode the influence and will of the United States and our strategic partners. Meeting these challenges and combating this approach will require the concerted efforts of all available instruments of US national power. Influencing foreign governments and populations is a complex and inherently political activity. This Joint Operating Concept (JOC) describes the military role in protracted IW campaigns; however, these campaigns will fail if waged by military means alone. The nature of IW requires the US Government (USG) to achieve the level of unified action necessary to integrate all available instruments of national power to address irregular threats. The USG will have to develop “Whole of Government” approaches to waging IW at the political, strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Other government agencies must build their capacity to operate in unstable or hostile environments. Irregular...
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...Biological Warfare: Effects on USA Abstract The purpose of this study is to determine the response of the American public to the growing threat of biological warfare which has been amplified by the war on terrorism. The study focuses on various news items, government researches, public responses and independent researches to gauge the effects of the perceived biological threat. The research shows clear linkages between rising terrorism in the world and an increase in public knowledge of the sort of threats these terrorist organizations pose, especially the risk of a biological attack which could lead to a catastrophe. The research also sheds light on the rising voices in the media and public which demand concrete strategies to prepare for any and all eventualities. We also see how these demands shape public policy and scientific research. Lastly, we conclude that there is a definitive causal link between people’s perception of the biological terror threat and their public and private behavior. Introduction The primary research question we have is that in what ways has the use or threat of biological weapons of mass destruction affected the lives of US citizens in recent history? America has been on the receiving end of terror attacks and the year 2001 is still fresh in everyone’s minds. The terror attacks on the world trade center were soon followed by the anthrax attacks which were perpetrated by a lone, disturbed scientist. The fact that a single man, without any proper...
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...To what extent did the nuclear arms race make the world a more dangerous place in the years 1949-63 The cold war brought about an arms race that increased in pace as the years went on, in this instance we speak of danger to mean having a significant impact on the lives of many people throughout the world through the use of nuclear arms. The world was endangered in many ways by the conflict between the Soviets and the US, as new technology was successfully developed not only did the number of atomic weapons increase but the warheads became more powerful and could reach their targets more effectively. It was however arguable that as a result of this new destructive power that the danger actually abated slightly due to the introduction of Mutually Assured Destruction “MAD” This meant that it became more and more unlikely that either side would actually attack the other due to the effect that it would have on themselves in the form of a counter strike. In 1945 the destructive power of the atomic bomb was showcased to the world, as well as bringing the Second World War to an end it also demonstrated the might of the US to the Soviets. It sparked a competition for each side to have the edge, feeling threatened, either force strived to outcompete the other and have the majority of atomic weapons of the highest plausible power. They wished to demonstrate their power to the world, more bombs meant an advanced economy and extensive resources. The side with more powerful weapons...
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...Throughout the initiation of the various wars that took place in the year between 1845-1991, the advancement of various weapons and other technological developments also took place. As a point of importance, Chemical Gases and generally, Chemical Warfare are considered, by many historians, as a decisive weapon used against the enemies, albeit sometimes unsuccessfully. By late 1915, in World War I, gas warfare had become a psychological as well as physical weapon. Much as the artillery barrages resulted in mental breakdowns associated with “shellshock,” the constant threat of the unbeknownst exposure to even a single gas shell added to the already unbearable stress of life at the front. After the first gas attack ever near Ypres in Belgium,...
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...protect the soldiers from an attack from the rear. The walls were also were also lined with logs and branches to reinforce the walls because rainfall and the constant bombardment of artillery shells would cause the walls to collapse. The trenches were dug in a zigzag manner, so that if the enemy was able to get inside he could not fire his weapon straight down the trench line. During the beginning days of World War One airplanes were seen as useless for war, so it was mainly used as a reconnaissance tactic. These reconnaissance aircraft would photograph enemy trench layout from a bird’s eye view as well as enemy troop movements. By the end of the war reconnaissance aircraft had developed into fighters and bombers that brought a new era of warfare. During the war more airmen were killed in training learning how to fly aircraft than were killed in action. If the engine stalled at takeoff the pilots would not be able to recover the plane before it crashed to the ground as they didn’t have the speed, or the ability to save it midflight. Aircraft during this era had a tendency to catch fire if it were shot. The pilots had two choices, jump with no parachute, as it was not available to them, or burn to death. Many pilots carried a service pistol to avoid suffering. The aircraft built in the beginning of the war were very basic in design. Many of the planes were built of a wooden frame and were covered with a...
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...Chemical Warfare is a war involving toxic chemicals as weapons. Chemical Warfare is a different from a Nuclear or Biological Warfare. Nuclear Warfare involves weapons such as the atomic bomb used in Hiroshima, biological warfare is where infectious items such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi are used to eliminate plants or humans, but our main topic is chemical warfare and this types of wars use toxic chemicals to damage your sight, your body system, and to cause death. All of the chemicals used for weapons would cause different symptoms and different forms of death. Different types of chemicals are classified as agents. The agents are blistering agents, blood agents, nerve agents, and RCA agents which are mostly used on large violent crowds or riots. Some chemicals cause illusions or make you hallucinate that may last for days or hours. Chemical warfare was first introduced in World...
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...UNICEF Wages Guerrilla Warfare CS 4-1. Do you think UNICEF’s campaigns will be affective? Why or Why not? I think UNICEF’s campaign will not be really effective. By setting a brightly colored vending machine at Manhattan’s Union Square, a place always crowded with many people, UNICEF makes a good choice on location where they have high potential to catch the attention of more people. However, they will have to compete against the thousands of ads for glamorous things around the Square that distract people which will be a big challenge to UNICEF. UNICEF may also have to confront with other water vending machines from the other competitors who offer various flavors from the brands that people are familiar with. The bottle design with “special flavors” labeled make those bottles of water seem become catchy than ever, people can take a picture with the vending machine and share it through social media channels like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so on just because of the strange and abnormal design of the bottle, not many of them will really care about the information on the machine. New Yorkers are known as busy and rushed people, they will not have time to stop by and read the whole information and message that UNICEF is trying to pass to them. The labels of flavors on the bottles are attention catching, but people would not be willing to spend money on them. It’s simple that the words “malaria, cholera, typhoid, dengue, hepatitis, dysentery, salmonella, and yellow...
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...HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU ARE IN A CONTAMINATED AREA AND HOW TO PROTECT AND DECONTAMINATE YOURSELF Chemical warfare is a place where you do not want to be in ever in your life. It is a situation that I pray no one will ever have to be in during their lifetime. When I was in the Army, the last few months of my time was to teach soldiers that were on their way to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan about Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare. When you are in a situation where you have to protect yourself from NBC, you have less than two minutes to protect yourself. There will be no time to think about anything else but to make sure that you protect yourself properly. What I want to do is to teach the reader on how to recognize if they are and a contaminated area. Once they recognize they are and a contaminated area, I want the reader to know how to properly protect and decontaminate themselves after the ordeal is over. The two types of chemical weapons that will be discussed will be sulfur mustard, also known as mustard gas and nerve agents. They are the two most popular types of chemical agents that are used during chemical warfare. I urge the reader to be sure that they do everything right the first time when it comes to recognizing when they are in a contaminated area and they protect themselves from contamination. The way people in the military protect themselves from chemical agents will be different from the way civilians when the protect themselves. I will inform...
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...Living in the Age of Cyber Attacks and Cyber Warfare UMUC If you asked the average person on the street about cybersecurity and cyber warfare, they would probably say they don’t know much about it other than the fact that it involves computers. In fact, for anyone outside of the cybersecurity industry, the closest thing to cyber warfare that they may have experienced was their viewing of the movie War Games, or the fourth installment of the Die Hard series, Live Free or Die Hard. While those movies had a profound impact on the lives of the characters in the script, the audience probably thought it was merely fiction, not fully based on fact. In Live Free or Die Hard, John McClain (played by the indefatigable Bruce Willis) is attempting to stop a domestic cyber-terrorist who is acting out on a vendetta against the United States. The cyber-terrorist is successful in launching an online attack to overload and destroy a power grid that left much of America’s East Coast in darkness. When I first saw this movie, I was curious if an attack like that was really possible; however, most people around me just labeled the movie as “Hollywood’s overactive imagination”. With cyber attacks literally having the ability to affect lives in a nanosecond, it is vital that everyone understand what cyber attacks entail, the impact of these cyber attacks on a domestic and international scale, and knowing what to expect in the future while living in a world dominated by virtual experiences...
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...Elizabeth Fenn’s “Biological Warfare in Eighteenth Century North America: Beyond Jeffrey Amherst” is a paper that looks into the history of germ or biological warfare in the eighteenth century in North America, mainly during the colonization and Revolutionary War periods. They used Smallpox, a disease that has been cured in today’s world, but back then caused hundreds of deaths. When the colonists and British gave blankets and clothes to the Indians they came from Smallpox treatment centers and spread the disease to the Native Americans killing most of the natives. Fenn structured this paper by breaking it down into smaller chapter like sections that explain the history of biological warfare, how it was executed, the result of their actions,...
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...Techniques for both Natives and Europeans in warfare changed drastically when the two engaged each other on the battlefield. Natives were observed by early Europeans as being more of playful in warfare rather than bloody and costly. The Europeans on first sight of a Native battle observed that the Natives would fire their arrows and then look and observe on where it would land. Depending on ideas and conditions, the Native wars among different tribes would at times would consist of low intensity raids, some plunder a few captives and other more less intensive fighting. Some of these low intensity fighting methods among the Native Indian tribes were more of acts of revenge against two rivalry tribes. The Native Indians showed skills in being tactical, strategic, and stealthy. The Europeans were skilled more in battlefield tactics, traditions, and customs rather than the stealthier guerrilla tactics of the Native Indians. Where Europeans relied more on structured tactics as a group or a whole, as in a division, the Native Indians would work more in smaller groups or pacts. Europeans would also shoot mass volleys are what some may say would shoot in the general direction of their enemy while Native Indians were more precise in singling out one target. While the battlefield tactics of the Europeans worked well on a plain battlefield, in a wooded area or an area that had limited space, the Native Indian was more tactical in their skills. Upon the European observation of Native...
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