I've got to read up on asymmetrical warfare. (Where?) The virus panic shows how effective panic can be in destroying the economy of an enemy. Why bother with planes, ships, bombs, and bullets anymore?
Even the most potent "boom" weapons need expensive delivery systems to get them to the enemy. But delivering a virus is free -- you just let the economy and normal travel habits do it.
I wonder if we ever will know who is responsible for this virus. If weapon-researchers screwed up, the information will be classified. Will the world get serious about international treaties that prevent this kind of mistake in the future? Even if it did, some future president might come along, and, like Bush and Trump did with nuclear missile and the Iran treaties, pull out of the treaty.
We are used to thinking of nuclear weapons as the final chapter in military history, but the world has gone through many radical changes in military tactics and weapons before. So we shouldn't be surprised to see the whole idea of a "weapon" change again.
Even the most potent "boom" weapons need expensive delivery systems to get them to the enemy. But delivering a virus is free -- you just let the economy and normal travel habits do it.
I wonder if we ever will know who is responsible for this virus. If weapon-researchers screwed up, the information will be classified. Will the world get serious about international treaties that prevent this kind of mistake in the future? Even if it did, some future president might come along, and, like Bush and Trump did with nuclear missile and the Iran treaties, pull out of the treaty.
We are used to thinking of nuclear weapons as the final chapter in military history, but the world has gone through many radical changes in military tactics and weapons before. So we shouldn't be surprised to see the whole idea of a "weapon" change again.
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You may want: Plague Wars: The Terrifying Reality of Biological Warfare
by Tom Mangold, Jeff Goldberg
OR, Asymmetric Warfare: Threat and Response in the 21st Century by Rod Thornton
"In recent years, the nature of conflict has changed. Through asymmetric warfare radical groups and weak state actors are using unexpected means to deal stunning blows to more powerful opponents in the West. From terrorism to information warfare, the Wests air power, sea power and land power are open to attack from clever, but much weaker, enemies.
In this clear and engaging introduction, Rod Thornton unpacks the meaning and significance of asymmetric warfare, in both civilian and military realms, and examines why it has become such an important subject for study. He seeks to provide answers to key questions, such as how weaker opponents apply asymmetric techniques against the Western world, and shows how the Wests military superiority can be seriously undermined by asymmetric threats. The book concludes by looking at the ways in which the US, the state most vulnerable to asymmetric attack, is attempting to cope with some new battlefield realities."