The Unintended Consequences of Technology

CHAPTER 10Warfare: Is “Cyber” the New Gunpowder?

Traditionally, war is known as an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, aggression, destruction, and mortality, using regular or irregular military forces.

Warfare is also known as an engagement in a violent conflict or a struggle between competing entities. Activities are undertaken by Unit A to weaken or destroy Unit B. There are four levels of warfare: political, strategic, operational, and tactical. At any given moment, any war is attempting to accomplish one or more of the four levels.

Warfare and conflicts spin all aspects of human existence in society on a physical, mental, spiritual, economic, social levels. These conflicts come in many forms. For example, in instances where the poor and the rich conflict, that's a form of class warfare. One country bombing another when they get into a dispute or two countries bombing each other in the territory of a third country is an action of waging military war.

Then there is proxy war, which is an armed conflict between two states or non-state actors acting on the instigation or on behalf of other parties that are not directly involved, such as the hostilities in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Soviet Afghanistan. Another example is the United States and the Soviet Union fighting the Cold War by demonstrating their power and technology. ...