Surgical Disruption: Sabotage as a Strategic Agency

Abstract

Strategic sabotage gives the United States an alternative approach and takes a stronger stance of deterrence against countries in the future. The use of sabotage as a strategic agency during below-armed conflict could be a partial solution to deter near-peer adversaries during "gray zone" warfare. First, the international stage has more tolerance for strategic sabotage and is less risky than perceived if done correctly. Second, determining how to use sabotage will be critical to achieving the desired effect with a range of escalation options. Finally, the use of sabotage inflicts cost imposition on adversaries as well as disrupts the existing mindset of future expansion projects. The modern-day employment of sabotage in the international community could shed light on potential deterrence opportunities for the employment of this strategic tool.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 30, 2023
Accession Number
AD1210073

Entities

People

  • Jake L. Rankinen

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • California
  • Communities
  • Continents
  • Deterrence
  • Employment
  • Geographic Regions
  • Gray Zone
  • Los Angeles (California)
  • North America
  • Sabotage
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.