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Getting to the Left of Boom in 21st Century Warfare

Getting to the Left of Boom in 21st Century Warfare

United States Army rangers during the military operation in the smoke and fire

The author  of this piece, Adam L. Silverman, PhD is a senior subject matter expert and consultant at Helios Global, Inc specializing in low intensity warfare and cultural considerations for strategy, policy, and operations. He served as a Senior Fellow in the Center for Special Operations Studies and Research at US Special Operations Command’s Joint Special Operations University in 2015.

The United States in the 21st century is confronted by different threats and challenges than it and its allies and partners were in the 20th century. While some of the 20th century challenges and threats still exist, such as the recent reemergence of extremist nationalism, fascism, and totalitarianism often wedded to extremist politicized religion, other threats and challenges are specific to the second and third decades of the 21st century. While the US, its allies, and its partners still face the challenges and threats that arise from traditionally defined interstate war, as well as low intensity warfare utilizing the full spectrum of asymmetric, irregular, and unconventional strategies and tactics, it also faces a new form of warfare. During the second decade of the 21st century, the United States was confronted with a 21st century form of war and warfare.

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