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How is guerrilla warfare an example of asymmetrical warfare?
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guerrilla warfare
A masked Iraqi ShiÊżi militia fighter dashing across a street, carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, Baghdad, August 7, 2004.
Guerrilla warfare is a quintessential example of asymmetrical warfare because it involves belligerents with significantly different military capabilities who cannot engage in the same types of combat.1
In this dynamic, a smaller, lightly armed forceâthe guerrillasâconfronts a conventional army that possesses superior resources and firepower. Because the guerrillas are at a disadvantage in open battle, they adopt unconventional tactics to neutralize the enemy's technological and numerical advantages. These tactics include:1
- Harassment and Ambush: Utilizing hit-and-run strikes to inflict casualties while minimizing their own risk.12
- Avoiding Conventional Engagement: Refusing to inhabit large, fixed bases, which prevents the stronger force from effectively utilizing aerial bombardment or heavy weaponry.1
- Erosion of Will: Focusing on the political goal of wearing down the enemy's resolve to sustain the costs of the conflict, rather than seeking a decisive military victory.13
Ultimately, the guerrilla force succeeds by not losing, whereas the conventional army loses if it fails to achieve a decisive victory.1