On “Fifth Generation” Warfare? #2

Continuation of commentary on On “Fifth Generation” Warfare? By Bryce Lane.

Possible Mitigation includes:

1. Civil skills-In this type of conflict is it of the most importance to first identify, isolate and remove the initiators while most importantly keeping other parties who wish to “feed” from the situation sidelined or redirected. Since the initiators and secondaries will use the media as a magnifier it is important to control “stampedes” both inside and outside targeted populations who don't realize that they are the weapon. This has to be done with other options than “mass lethal”, or technological solutions that only benefit those proposing them. Channeling and deescalating that reaction is the only “51%” solution available. There is no “win” only the preservation of some type of order. Keeping order is “politics” and even though the word has a bad name, the situation requires people who are very good at it.

Stampedes can be directed. Propaganda is the most effective (directly) non-lethal method. It does not necessarily require mass communication. It can be slower. Posters and pamphlets were proven effective before mass communication. However, the approach is still not absolute advantage. Only direct contact will suffice.

2. The individuals that become initiators in this are likely not “poor peasants” but come from the upper-middle to upper classes where they have access to the support and communications necessary to accomplish very significant social impacts yet remain at large. These people are not often invisible, or even easy to ignore all their lives and often give plenty of warning if we are on watch. The more people, contacts and cooperation we have in any environment or society, the more likely we are likely to know who is having trouble in-house with who and keep a watch on it before it moves to anyone else's house.

The unemployable educated elite mostly start revolutions. Work consumes free time.