Thoughts on the Meaning of "Asymmetric Threats"
Abstract
This monograph was written in the summer of 2000, thus, it predates the attacks of 11 September 2001 and the subsequent war on terrorism. It appears to the author, however, that events since the summer of 2000 have validated the definitions and list of asymmetric threats given in this monograph. Therefore, it is being reproduced now as a Lincoln Laboratory technical report. A new afterword has been added, relating recent terrorist and insurgent activities to the list of asymmetric threats. In this report, the author attempts to provide a more useful definition of "asymmetric threat." He begins by offering mathematical explications of symmetry and asymmetry. Based on the mathematical explications he gives an operational definition of asymmetric threat. This operational definition allows one to fairly easily examine a particular action or postulated action and determine whether or not it constitutes an asymmetric threat. To illustrate the use of the operational definition, he gives some historical examples that satisfy this definition of asymmetric threat and some that come close but do not. He then lists current threats that he considers asymmetric. This list turns out to be remarkably short: (1) Use of biological weapons, (2) Use of chemical weapons, (3) Use of lasers for blinding, (4) Use of some types of mines, (5) Suicide attacks, (6) Surprise first strikes, (7) Particularly brutal attacks, (8) Indiscriminant attacks on civilians and neutral countries, (9) Environmental attacks, (10) Attacks on all satellite systems (including the attacker's), (11) Attacks on all computer systems (including the attacker's), (12) Funding terrorist groups to launch attacks, (13) Fighting not to win but to lose, (14) Intentionally exposing one's own population to high casualties, (15) Attacking one's own population, (16) Fighting to the death, and (17) Negotiating arms control treaties with the intent to covertly develop arms in contravention of the treaty.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 08, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA444192
Entities
People
- C. A. Primmerman
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology