Humans as a Weapon: Asymmetry and Demography

Vuković, Nebojša (2018) Humans as a Weapon: Asymmetry and Demography. In: Asymmetry and Strategy: thematic collection of articles. Strategic Research Institute & National Defence School, Belgrade, pp. 93-106. ISBN 978-86-81121-17-7

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Abstract

At the beginning of the paper, the author briefly considers the terms of war and asymmetry. As an example of the conception of asymmetric warfare, the author states the theses of a French theoretician, Guy Brossollet, on the so-called non-battle. Analyzing the particular elements of the tactics of the Islamist formations in Iraq and Syria, the author finds certain similarities between modular warfare in Brossollet’s conception and the manner in which the offensive operations of the army of the Islamic State and other Jihadist militias are conducted. A special emphasis is placed on the conducting of attacks by means of car bombs operated by Islamist suicide fighters. The paper is based on the assertion that, given the fact that they are technically and resourcefully inferior to regular armies (especially those of the West), Islamist movements and military formations use car bombs in an attempt to asymmetrically respond to the supremacy of the adversary. In the author’s opinion, the two essential elements – population and ideology – are necessary for such tactics of the Islamist armed formations. Given the fact that the population of the Islamic faith has constantly been increasing and that on average it is relatively young, an assumption can be made that in the decades to come, it will be a rich mobilization source for recruiting thousands of future suicide bombers. The Islamist narration will not disappear, either, given the fact that it is generated from certain radical interpretations of Islam. In other words, Islamism will exist as long as Islam exists. The basic thesis of the paper is based on an insight that the technologically and logistically weaker side in an asymmetric conflict resists with what it abounds in. In this case, Islamist formations in a conflict with secular Muslim and non-Muslim armies abundantly dissipate human resources – humans as a weapon (suicide bombers). Also, the basic thesis comprises the attitude that the tactics of using car bombs will become one of the dominant in the future due to the given positive demographic conditions (constant growth) within the world’s Muslim population.

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