GJ Kuijntjes: Meeting the challenges of 4th generation warfare RESPONSE

It's nice that I finally find an article that is both "pro-American" and intelligent. Yet I can't help feeling that the author is pointing the way to self-destruction. It is true that what he describes as "4th generation warfare" will allow a weak group to take on a stronger opponent, as for example the Spanish Guerilla during the Napolionic wars (2nd generation by his count). It is also true that any solution will require
out-of-the-box-thinking, which can be mistaken for aggressive and controversial". This should NOT lead to clandestine operations an the part of the nation-state, since this will only fuel the violence. A more feasible example of a solution would be the Nothern Irish conflict, where regular police-actions tried to limit the violence while the politicians worked out a mutual acceptable solution. Brute force fill not work.

So, a workable solution will be out-of-the-box: yes controversial: very likely (who seriously wants to reach out in friendship to the person who's responsible for your daugters death?).

But killing without accountability (as happens when clandistine): no, this will not work.

GJ Kuijntjes
Manchester, England