Trump鈥檚 military actions fit into the new form of Western warfare
The deadly American drone attack on Iranian General Soleimani in Baghdad on January 5 put the world on edge. The attack was reviled and praised. Within the Western media the attack was framed as another sign of Trump's irrational foreign policy. Trump makes "erratic interpretations" and doesn鈥檛 listen to his generals. In her inaugural lecture on January 29 as professor of Conflict Studies at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视, Jolle Demmers states that the "targeting killing" of Soleimani fits exactly in the new form of Western warfare in which the Netherlands is also actively participating.
This form of warfare is characterized by a combination of so-called precision bombing, drone attacks, and "targeted killings" and the deployment of small, flexible units of elite troops, which logistically and materially support local militias in carrying out ground battles.
Old conflicts between America and Iran, such as the protracted struggle over political-economic power in the Middle East, are becoming relevant again.
LIQUID WARFARE
In short, contemporary warfare shies away from expensive and risky forms of military intervention where ground troops and the promise of reconstruction and socio-political order are important. Instead, it now embraces the "shaping" strategy through flexible operations, supported by new technology and occasional alliances with local militias and private security companies. Demmers calls this shift "liquid warfare" in an with Lauren Gould.