Fifth-generation warfare brings the pre-state era back into the spotlight by involving civilizations and cultures.
Age of war is usually associated with maneuvers and an increase in damage. From the 1st to the 4th generation, weapons of mass destruction used in wars were increased in their lethality and damage level. Contrarily, 5th generation warfare is different from the previous generation. It brings more control and uses sophisticated means of defeating the enemy. Furthermore, wars of civilizations and cultures, being the fifth-generational warfare, are disuniting humanity as it breeds hatred. Everywhere around the globe, nations are at daggers drawn with each other. As Clausewitz said:
Every age has its own kind of war, its own limiting conditions, and its own peculiar preconceptions.
So, 5th generation warfare is what humanity faces today. Islamophobia, forcibly imposed foreign values, radical Islamization, Hindutva, airing anti-Sino sentiments and ultra-nationalism are some examples of this war. These fault-lines of modern times are threatening humanity. These wars are fought on cultural and civilizational levels.
Strangely, human throughout the existing recorded history has desired for peace, but war is the more discussed topic in history. From Sun Tsu, Thucydides, Thomas Hobbes to Machiavelli, and Clauswitz, history is flooded with information to wage war. Sun Tsu once state:
Sun Tsu Quote from Art of War (544-496BC)
Similarly, fifth-generation warfare is the manifestation of this quote as well.
What is 5th generation Warfare?
Fifth-generation warfare as introduced by Reed and Keleshall is distinguished from previous generations by a new conceptualization of the role of the state in warfare. It is a war for cultural dominance and value-based legitimacy. War of cultures and civilizations for the prevalence of one's culture over all others is fifth-generational warfare. Ultranationalism and cultural dominance are prime factors of this war. One thing that needs to be clarified that pride in one's culture and traditions are absolutely different from nationalism. Prior is a legitimate right while the former is extravagant and harmful for the global atmosphere. Fifth-generational warfare brings national, cultural, and religious identities into its domain.
Fifth-generational warfare is different from hybrid warfare.
5th generation warfare is different from hybrid warfare. Hybrid warfare employs all means and methods at its disposal to engage the enemy at multiple levels. Hybrid warfare strategizes on many smaller enemies rather than one of two big enemies. By this, hybrid warfare increases the cognitive load on the enemy intending to break its will to fight back. Smaller enemies could be militant organizations, mercenaries, economic threats by economic sanctions, and many others.
Paradigms of Hybrid Warfare
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Asymmetric warfare, in which non-state actors wage a war against the state or state institutions using guerilla warfare tactics, could be a part of the hybrid strategy. It transforms from conventional warfare to irregular warfare.
Traditional Vs Irregular Warfare
Hybrid warfare like its name depicts uses multiple means to sabotage an enemy. It is a blend of different methods to compliant the enemy. Many people confuse hybrid warfare with fifth-generation warfare which creates confusion.
5th Generation Warfare Different from Ideological Warfare:
5th generation warfare is also quite different from the ideological rivalry of the cold war period. In the cold war, communist and capitalism were looking eyeball to eyeball. But it ended with the fall of the Berlin wall. The clash of civilizations thesis emerged after the cold war era. Samuel Huntington and Bernard Lewis produced tremendously well explanative work on this subject. Clash of Civilizations is worthy to mention in this respect as it presents the basis of the emergence of cultural and civilizational war.
Narrative and counter-narrative are basic tools used in 5h generation warfare. In international relations, the theory of Post-modernism is the most relevant theory to 5th generation warfare.
Present System is Conducive for Fifth-Generation Warfare:
Nuclear weapons disparage the total warfare option. But the conflict of opinion is constant and to achieve objectives, states create a threshold to revoke nuclear outbreaks. Strikingly clear that nuclear option is not favorable for anyone on the planet, there will be no winners only losers if nuclear war broke out. Knowing this reality, think tanks, defense analysts, and statesmen devise other means to accomplish objectives.
The threat of using maximum force to pressurize a country.
Other Means
If the threat of war is not working, then countries resort to the second option. The means which can compel other states is by the use of modern tools of fifth-generation warfare.
weapons for Fifth-generation warfare
Fifth-generation warfare has its own tools for offensive, defensive and pre-emptive strategies.
- Ultra-nationalism
- Extremism
- Xenophobia
- Disinformation
- Narrative
- Counter -narrative
These are some aspects of fifth-generational warfare. Ultra-nationalism is one of the most used tactical weapons for fifth-generational warfare. It airs the sentiments of the hierarchical division of supremacy of different races within society and around the globe. The principal reason for it is to wage war and gaining internal support. History is evident to this fact that ultranationalism is a one-step taken toward destruction. America first, European way, Hindutva, and many such slogans fall under this umbrella.
Xenophobia could be an offshoot of nationalism by which hatred for foreign elements is a natural reaction.
Disinformation involves fake information about national heroes and historical characters. It may be directed to maligning the heroes of the targeted nation. By this enemy creates confusion and division among segments of societies, It divides the nation intending to rule over them.
The narrative building is one of the most employed weapons for 5th generation warfare. The narrative building is the manipulation of factual data to create disinformation. This disinformation could be used to weaken the enemy internally or it could be a cause of misdirecting the enemy to achieve its targets. The purpose of disinformation could be to direct the international community in a way that will pose threat to the prosperity and sovereignty of an independent nation. Disinformation can be damaging in many other ways as well.
5th generation warfare uses disinformation to intensify aggressiveness in the general public. By this, it compels enemy countries to initiate war. Starting a war against a recognized state is a big problem for established states, as it can bring international sanctions on countries. Fifth-generational warfare has devised new means to destroy an enemy country and that is by maligning its reputation.
Disinformation is the most potent tool employed against enemies in fifth-generation warfare.
ways to counter 5th generation warfare
Countering fifth-generational warfare is quite different from border management and security. The scope of fifth-generation warfare is alarmingly different from previous concepts of countering security threats. It starts defining the threat and its scope by debunking misinformation and bringing more clarity to government actions. As it targets the general masses and state institutions, there is a dire need to create a well elaborative communication channel to mitigate disinformation at all costs. Important considerations to counter fifth-generational warfare are as follows.
- In this age of disinformation, having the right information and communicating the right information with more transparency is very important. Information from credible sources only must be passed. Debunking misinformation must be carried out.
- Analyzing information has become essential in this flooded information era.
- Coexistence and tolerance must be promoted to keep the peace.
- Multiculture and inter-civilization contacts must be promoted.
Conclusion
Summing up all discussion, 5th generation warfare is in its essence demands more sagacious decision-making. Keeping the peace is beneficial for all. But it should not be through war. Peace must come through tolerance, pluralism, and coexistence. Effective means must be used to overcome the challenges of 5th generation warfare. Combating warfare should be only through peace. As Martin Luther King once said:
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.
