Also known as asymmetric engagement, this refers to a form of unconventional warfare where there is a significant difference in the powers of the warring sides. The term is generally used to refer to conflicts between the armed forces of large nation-states and significantly smaller insurgent groups that possess relatively little firepower. Insurgent groups which cannot match the power of larger armies generally try to employ guerrilla tactics to frustrate and cause significant damage to their adversaries rather than try to completely eliminate them. The term was coined by Andrew J.R. Mack in his 1975 article “Why Big Nations Lose Small Wars”.
Published - December 07, 2018 12:15 am IST
