UAB Soriano IntSec Topic 3 Course 2023 24

10/6/2023
Under this License You are free to:

• Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
• Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
Under the following terms:

• Attribution — You must give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were
made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests
the licensor endorses you or your use.
• NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
• ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must
distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
• No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological
measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits
1
UAB - INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

(Course 2023-24). Lecturer: JP Soriano
Topic 3.
The evolution of war
and different forms of
inter-sate violence
2
J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB
1
10/6/2023
This presentation is based on the following sources
• Baylis, John, James Wirtz, “Introduction: Strategy in the Contemporary World:

Strategy after 9/11”, In: Baylis, John, James Wirtz, and Colin Gray, eds. Strategy in
the Contemporary World. 5th Edition. Oxford University Press, 2016.
• Fazal, Tanisha and Poast Paul. “War is not over”, Foreign Affairs, Vol. 98, No. 6
(Nov/Dec), 2019, pp. 73-83.
• German, Tracey. "Introduction: re-visioning war and the state in the twenty-first
century.“ International Affairs 95.4 (2019): 759-763.
• Kaldor, Mary. “The New Logic of Warfare”, Green European Journal, March 28,
2019. Available at: https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-new-logic-of-
warfare/
• Pilbeam, Bruce. "Reflecting of War and Peace." In: International Security Studies.
Theory and Practice, ed. Peter Hough et al. Routledge, 2015.
Additional sources on
available at UAB Libraries
2
10/6/2023
Additional sources on Strategic Studies available at UAB libraries
2008 2009 2012
2014 2016 2002, 2013, 2016
Textbook: “Strategy in the Contemporary World” (5th Edition)

Part I: Enduring Issues of Strategy
• The History of the Practice of Strategy from Antiquity to
Napoleon, Beatrice Heuser
• The Evolution of Modern Warfare, Michael Sheehan
• Strategic Theory, Thomas G. Mahnken
• The Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace, Garnett and Baylis
• Strategic Culture, Jeffrey S. Lantis and Darryl Howlett
• Law, Politics, and the Use of Force, Justin Morris
• Technology and Warfare, Eliot A. Cohen
• Intelligence and Strategy, Roger Z. George
• Strategy and Defence Planning, Colin S. Gray
Part III: The Future of Strategy
Part II: Contemporary Problems
• Strategic Studies and its
• Irregular Warfare: Terrorism and Insurgency, James D. Kiras
Critics, Columba Peoples
• Second Nuclear Age: Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century, Walton
• A New Agenda for Security and
• The Control of Weapons of Mass Destruction, John Baylis
Strategy?, James J. Wirtz
• Conventional Power and Contemporary Warfare, John Ferris
• The Practice of Strategy, Colin S.
• Theory and Practice of Continental Warfare, Stephen Biddle
Gray and Jeannie L. Johnson
• Humanitarian Intervention and Peace Operations, Sheena Chestnut
• Does Strategic Studies Have a
Greitens
Future?, Lawrence Freedman
• The Rise of Cyberpower, John B. Sheldon
• Geopolitics and Grand Strategy, Stefanie Ortmann and Nick Whittaker
3
10/6/2023
Reserach Institute based in London

https://www.iiss.org/
The Military Balance is the

Survival: Global Politics and Institute’s annual assessment
Strategy is the Institute’s bi- of the military capabilities and
monthly journal defence economics worldwide.
https://www.iiss.org/blogs/podcast
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/warstudies
4
10/6/2023
https://www.ieee.es/index.html?__locale=es
Famous quotes about war (1)
“War is not merely an act of policy but a true

political instrument, a continuation of political
intercourse carried on with other means.”
• Carl Von Clausewitz (1780-1831). Prussian
general and one of the most influential
military strategist in history
‘War is hell’
• Declared American Civil War general William
T. Sherman (1820–1891).
10
5
10/6/2023
Famous quotes about war (2)
“War is too important to be left to the generals”.

• Quote by Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929), a
French politician who led France during the First
World War as Prime Minister .
“You may not be interested in war, but war is

interested in you”
• Quote attributed to Leon Trotsky (1879 –1940),
a Soviet revolutionary, Marxist theorist and
politician.
• He was the founder and commander of the Red
Army, with the title of People's Commissar of
Military and Naval Affairs.
11
Defining wars is becoming more difficult today,

since the word “war”, “has been co-opted by politicians to describe a whole array of
policy agendas unrelated to traditional ideas of warfare.”
For example: the global War of terror (after 2001), the War on Drugs, the War on crime,
War on Poverty, the War on Cancer; and more recently, the War against climate change or
Covid-19
Global War of terror
May 2021
12
6
10/6/2023
13
Preliminary questions on war and peace (1)
• Is war an inevitable part of human

existence?
• Is war sometimes, maybe, even

necessary?
• Self-defense in the face of attack is
widely accepted as a legitimate reason to
take up arms (Art. 51 UN Charter), even
if one regrets having to do so.
• Does the relevance of military power

will decline in the next two or three
decades?
14
7
10/6/2023
Preliminary questions on
war and peace (2)
• It is possible to talk about ‘just’

wars? Wars that have a moral
justification, such as wars fought to
remove an oppressive, cruel and Liberty Leading the People (La Liberté
guidant le peuple) , by Eugène
murderous regime Delacroix 1830
• Or, war is never justified, and the

only truly ethical stance is a pacifist
opposition to all armed conflict.
Michael Walzer, first edition 1977,

fifth edition 2015
15
Consequences of warfare and armed conflicts

• Armed conflicts have been (and are) responsible for:
• loss of life on a massive scale
• the obstruction of economic development
• the spreading of disease and famine
• the downfall of governments
• the destruction of whole cultures (Pilbeam, p. 87)
• But wars and warfare have also:

• helped with the creation of new states
• liberation of societies from oppressive or imperialist
regimes
• accelerated the economic growth of some societies
• generated advancements in technology,
communications, medicine, etc.
16
8
10/6/2023
Typologies of war (taken from Pilbeam, pp. 88-89).
Types of actors involved
Internationalized intra-state war
Formalities of warfare
17
Resource mobilization
Types of combatants and their tactics
Objectives of warfare
18
9
10/6/2023
Carl Von Clausewitz. On War (1)
• Carl Von Clausewitz (1780-1831). Was a Prussian

general and one of the most influential military
strategist in history.
• Clausewitz definition of war:
• “We see, therefore, that war is not merely an

act of policy but a true political instrument, a
continuation of political intercourse carried
on with other means. What remains peculiar
to war is simply the peculiar nature of its
means.” (On War, 1832) (On War, 1832)
19
19

• Criticisms of Clausewitzian approaches to
war:
• “One of the most famous – indeed,

infamous – statements about the
nature of war.” (Pilbeam, p. 87)
• “Clausewitz’s belief suggests a morally

repugnant view of war,…
• treating it as if it were no different to
any of the other tools at a statesman’s
disposal, like diplomacy or sanctions,…
• and thereby failing to appreciate its
exceptional and horrifying nature.”
20
20
10
10/6/2023

• “A different interpretation is that Clausewitz was
simply emphasizing that war is a political instrument”:
• “War is the continuation of politics by other
means.”
• War “is not a separate, autonomous activity, but is

intimately linked to the wider interests, strategies and
decision-making processes of those who wage it,
usually with some definite end or goal in mind.”
(Pilbeam, p. 87).
• “It is important not to think of war in isolation, but as

connected to all the other major issues of international
security.” (Pilbeam, p. 87).
• We could understand military power also as a key

dimension of both domestic and international politics
and policies.
21
Levels of analysis and the causes of war

• Book by Kenneth Waltz: Man, the State and War (1959)
• First image: imperfections of human nature. “the flawed -

or even evil- nature of the human individual would
inevitably manifest itself in the aggressive behavior” of
self-interested states. (Smith, p. 15).
• Second image: the structure of the state (different state-

level variables).
• Third image: the anarchical nature of the international

system.
• “States are seeking to survive in an anarchic
1959 international system in which the primary source of
insecurity stems from inter-state conflict.” .” (Miller,
p. 15).
22
22
11
10/6/2023
“Who cares about the Cuban missile crisis?”

• Video prepared for the 50th Anniversary of Cuban missile
crisis in October 1962. The Armageddon Letters (2012)
http://www.armageddonletters.com/ , by The Balsillie
School of International Affairs, University of Waterloo,
Canada.
• Video (2012) 4 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zObCklM5LPw
• Individuals (Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro): beliefs,

personal goals, available information, abillities to manage
very high pressures/stress .
• States (USA, USSR, Cuba): political system, bureaucractic

politics, public opinion, etc.
• International system: anarchy, polarity, military

capabilities, economic systems, ideologies, etc.
23
23
Evolution of Strategic Studies

• Strategic Studies have been heavily influenced by the
realist tradition in International Relations.
• Emerged in the context of the Cold War. Political leaders,

government officials, and academics interested in a key
aspect of the security agenda:
• How to survive and prosper in a nuclear age?
• Development theories of: nuclear deterrence, limited war,

and arms control.
• These matters dominated most of the academic literature

of Strategic Studies between 1950s-1980s.
• The work by scholars such as Bernard Brodie, Henry

Kissinger, Thomas Schelling and Herman Kahn became
“classics”.
24
12
10/6/2023
Herman Kahn (1922 –1983) 1960. On Thermonuclear War. 1962. Thinking about the
unthinkable.
• Herman Kahn (1922 –1983). American physicist and strategist.
His theories contributed heavily to the development of
the nuclear strategy of the United States.
• “Became known for analyzing the likely consequences

of nuclear war and recommending ways to improve
survivability”
• Kahn was “one of the historical inspirations for the title

character of Stanley Kubrick's classic film Dr. Strangelove. Or
How I lerned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” (1962)
(“Teléfono rojo, ¿volamos hacia Moscú?”)
25
Some criticisms to Strategic Studies and

responses by strategic theorists
1. Critics: Strategic Studies is obsessed with conflict and force

• Strategist claim: they deal with one aspect of international relations
only: conflict and violence. They do not claim this is the only aspect.
2. Critics: the topic of armed conflict should not be studied in universities

• Strategist argue that: war will not disappear simply by ignoring it. “The
study of war and peace are issues of profound importance that can, and
should, be studied in a scholarly way”. (Baylis et al., p. 10).
3. Critics: state-centric focus and specifically on inter-state wars

• Strategists recognize their continuous interest on issues of state’s
security. But they also recognize the importance of: intra-state
conflicts and wars, ethnic and identity conflict, violent non-state
actors (terrorist groups and criminal organizations). (Baylis et al., p.
11).
26
13
10/6/2023
Some criticisms to Strategic Studies and

responses by strategic theorists
4. Critics: strategists usually adopt a traditional realist approach that is

theoretically too narrow
• Some strategist scholars accept the need of a wider approach for analyzing
a more complex international security agenda (even from the point of view
of the role of military power and inter-state conflict)
• Other scholars argue that realism “remains the dominant approach to the
subject, which is one factor that distinguishes the study of strategy from the
broader field of Security Studies (Baylis et al., p. 12).
5. Critics: strategy is increasingly less relevant because major wars are

declining, and non-traditional threats are increasing
• Strategists argue that too much emphasis has been given to non-military
security. The liberal euphoria at the beginning of the 1990s that “a
fundamental transformation of international relations was under way has
proved to be ill-founded.” (Baylis et al., p. 13). Military force remains a very
important element of international politics
27
Security dilemma in a self-help system

• Security dilemma.
• A very important concept in security studies, created by
scholar John Herz in 1950.
• See: John H. Herz, ‘Idealist Internationalism and the
Security Dilemma’, World Politics 212 (January 1950);
also see Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in
International Politics (1976).
• “An accumulation of military power may jeopardize national

security rather than enhance it because the opponent may
regard it as a threat.” (Miller, p. 17).
• Perception and misperception: The quest of survival in and

anarchical system can generate arms races, military alliances,
balancing coalitions, and unintended or undesired wars.
28
28
14
10/6/2023
Changing role of armed forces

around the world
- Anexample of how the changing and

increasingly complex strategic context
has a concrete impact on defense and
security policies can be seen in the
evolution of the role of the armed
forces in recent decades
- The armed forces are increasingly

multi-purpose institutions.
29
29
During the XXth Century, some of the tasks assigned to armed forces
in many countries of the world included:
1. External defense against possible attacks from other states (defense of

territorial integrity and national sovereignty);
2. Internal/domestic control of political and armed actors considered

'enemies' or 'threats' to the state (which, depending on the type of
political regime, could include terrorist organizations, insurgent-guerrilla
groups, or even political opposition and social activists);
3. Fight against drug trafficking, especially since the 1980s (in the so called
“war on drugs”);
4. One-off assistance / ad hoc assistance to the population in case of

natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, wildfires, etc. ;
5. Providing support in the implementation of other public policies (health
issues, building infrastructure, reforestation, among others).
30
30
15
10/6/2023
21st Century (all previous roles plus)

6. Public security: the “war on crime” trough the
militarization of the fight against violence and crime.
7. Defense in cyberspace: cybersecurity over strategic
infrastructure, and cyberwarfare capabilities.
8. Outer Space as an increasingly important domain for

warfighting capabilities.
9. Increasing role of the armed forces in the vigilance of
key natural resources: deterrence of state and non-state
actors which want to exploit or control these key assets
31
31
10. More relevant and

systematic roles in disaster
relief:
• more frequent emergencies,

many of them related to
adverse effects of climate
change.
• Humanitarian and disaster

relief demands increasing joint
training and interoperability
at regional and international
levels.
32
32
16
10/6/2023
Conclusions: Why the study of war is still very

relevant
1. Armed conflict (War) has been a feature of human societies since their very
beginnings.
2. A constant feature of world politics has been the study and analysis of “the
harsh realities of a world in which military power is an instrument of state
policy”. (Baylis et al., p. 2)
3. “Over the centuries, writers have debated endlessly the meanings of war and
peace, and there remains no consensus over either term.” (Pilbeam, p. 88)
4. Different interpretations of the nature and causes of war.
5. “In reality there in no such thing as ‘war in general’, but a wide range of
different types of armed conflict” (Pilbeam, p. 89).
6. Examine the domestic and international impacts of the changing roles of
armed forces .
7. Transparency and accountability: civilian control of the armed forces.
33
17

UAB Soriano IntSec Topic 3 Course 2023 24

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

UAB Soriano IntSec Topic 3 Course 2023 24

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

10/6/2023

Under this License You are free to:

Under the following terms:

UAB - INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

This presentation is based on the following sources

• Baylis, John, James Wirtz, “Introduction: Strategy in the Contemporary World:

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Additional sources on Strategic Studies available at UAB libraries

2008 2009 2012

2014 2016 2002, 2013, 2016

Textbook: “Strategy in the Contemporary World” (5th Edition)

Reserach Institute based in London

The Military Balance is the

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Famous quotes about war (1)

“War is not merely an act of policy but a true

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Famous quotes about war (2)

“War is too important to be left to the generals”.

“You may not be interested in war, but war is

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Defining wars is becoming more difficult today,

Global War of terror

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Preliminary questions on war and peace (1)

• Is war an inevitable part of human

• Is war sometimes, maybe, even

• Does the relevance of military power

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

• It is possible to talk about ‘just’

• Or, war is never justified, and the

Michael Walzer, first edition 1977,

Consequences of warfare and armed conflicts

• But wars and warfare have also:

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Typologies of war (taken from Pilbeam, pp. 88-89).

Types of actors involved

Internationalized intra-state war

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Types of combatants and their tactics

J.P. Soriano. International Security. 2023-2024. UAB

Carl Von Clausewitz. On War (1)

• Carl Von Clausewitz (1780-1831). Was a Prussian

• Clausewitz definition of war:

• “We see, therefore, that war is not merely an

Carl Von Clausewitz. On War (2)

• “One of the most famous – indeed,

• “Clausewitz’s belief suggests a morally

Carl Von Clausewitz. On War (3)

• War “is not a separate, autonomous activity, but is

• “It is important not to think of war in isolation, but as

• We could understand military power also as a key

Levels of analysis and the causes of war

• First image: imperfections of human nature. “the flawed -

• Second image: the structure of the state (different state-

• Third image: the anarchical nature of the international

“Who cares about the Cuban missile crisis?”

• Video (2012) 4 minutes:

• Individuals (Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro): beliefs,