{[war|peace|levels of war|types of war|condition of peace}]

CONCEPT OF WAR & PEACE:

War

War is a direct violence between state actors or a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country.

War is a basic concept of IR( international relation) and one of the oldest issues facing international actors, as security is the basic responsibility of states. Security dilemma generates war.

As per Realism, violence and war are essential parts of the international system.With the nuclear age, bi-polarity and multi-polarity have greatly reduced the frequency/occurence of war through deterrence, however intensity of war is increased. (WWI-9 mn death, WWII-52 mn casualties)

Peace

Peace is the absence of war and in other words a state or period in which there is no war or the war has ended. (Peace is also called the interval between two wars). However, in general, mainstream realist IR focuses on the dynamics of power, war, and assuming the inherency of violence in human nature and international relations and sovereignty, encapsulated by the state over rights and justice.

Levels of War

Intra-national war/ civil war: Involves domestic armed conflicts of groups in society with each other or against state. People suffer particularly and state and global order generally as they try… To gain control of government or to topple it To achieve secession (split or withdrawal) To achieve greater political autonomy or social and economic justice.

International war :

Armed conflicts between two or more states involving direct and unlimited power, aiming… Particularly affects states and thus the global system To settle conflict through force To exert hegemony over the adversary To maintain balance of power.

Types of war

Total war: Includes civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as main military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs. e.g. WWI & WWII

Civil war: A war between organized groups within the same country, aiming to take control of the country, to achieve independence or to change government policies. e.g. Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers

Limited war: A geographically confined conflict short of total war; thus political aim, space, time and the weapons used are limited. e.g. Indo-Pak wars, Arab-Israel wars, Korean war

Guerilla war: Involves a small group of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, who use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, hit-and-run tactics. e.g. Vietnam & Afghanistan wars

Hegemonic war: A war for control of the entire world order - the rules of the international system as a whole, including the role of world hegemony. This class of wars is also known as global war, world war, general war or systemic war.

Tactics of war

Conventional war: land, water, air-armed forces Smart war: chemical, biological, nuclear, missiles Asymmetric: Gorilla warfare (hit and run).

GENERATIONS OF WAR

The strategic theorist William S. Lind, and the Israeli strategist Martin van Creveld both are exponents of 4th Generation War theory, namely the idea that war has been evolving through the centuries in successive “generations.” Lind describes these generations of warfare.

1st Generation: Relied on the line and column as the primary formation and the smoothbore musket (fire arm) and spear as its primary weapon. (classical & post-classical)

2nd Generation: Still relied on linear fire, but with the use of tactic and the single-shot rifle as the primary weapon. 3rd Generation: Used basic infiltration techniques to bypass enemy defenses with tanks, magazine-fed rifles, machine-guns and air force, and it was waged between industrial age armies over land and resources

4th Generation: Modern insurgency and counterinsurgency, whereby states are facing technologically sophisticated insurgents/non-state actors who use terrorism as a tool to achieve their political objectives.

5TH Generation: Hereby the non-state actors fight nation states out of sheer frustration, without clear political objectives. A war in which we engage enemy by using the social media and diverting their youth’s mind against their country and leaders.

JUST WAR DOCTRINE

An attempt to justify war in one set of circumstances, and not in another as witnessed in Christian ethical belief of duty to fight for a just cause. Idea propagated by St. Augustine (354-430 AD) Purpose was to give some wars legal and moral justification Crusades, Jihad etc.

Conditions of Peace

A higher expected utility of peace than war, unlike realist belief,A unanimous commitment to have peaceful resolution of disputes, Strong institutions for encouraging cooperation and interdependence,Disarmament ,Social-communication process and Peace maker, because peace doesn’t exist rather it has to be created.

COMPARISON OF REALISM & LIBERALISM

REALISM:

.)States are the only actors at international level.

.)States are rational actors and aim for their own self interest/relative gain.

.)Realists believe in maximizing military power in order to achieve peace and security. (lead to war)

.)Realists believe in the concept of armament, i.e. states should have arms and weapons for self security. (lead to war)

LIBERALISM

.)States are not the only actors. Other actors e.g. individuals, IOs, MNCs also play an important role at international level.

.)States are not rational actors. They aim for absolute gain.

.)Liberalists believe that security can be achieved by cooperation, mutual gaining, applying moral/ethical principles. (brings peace)

.)Liberalists believe in the concept of disarmament for self security i.e. cooperation. (for peace)

.)According to liberalists international system is community based. (opportunities for peace)