What is asymmetrical warfare? Who practices it and what techniques are used? How has it forced a change in U.S. military policy? What preparations has the U.S. military made as part of its new counterinsurgency emphasis?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer:
An ideal response will:
1. Define asymmetrical warfare as wars practiced in unconventional ways that seek to minimize the U.S. advantage in firepower.
2. Identify that terrorists practice this type of warfare, often using lightly armed, irregular enemy forces practicing tactics like ambushes, hidden explosives, suicide bombings, and hostage takingsâ€"and often operating in terrain that inhibits use of conventional military power (e.g., jungles and mountains or urban areas with civilian populations).
3. Outline that these techniques have forced a change in U.S. military policy because the armed forces can no longer rely on heavy armor and artillery, tanks, and other conventional warfare methods to respond to these types of tactics.
4. Conclude that the U.S. military is making counterinsurgency preparations by expanding the size of the Army and Marine Corps to have more "boots on the ground," reducing divisions into brigades, relying more heavily on Army Reserve and National Guard units, introducing new equipment including unmanned drones to deal with ambushes and mines, and shifting operations from enemy-centric armed conflict to a population-centric approach that takes into account both political goals and social and cultural factors.