Fighting Terrorism-the right tool for the job

I read the recent David Brooks column, The Insurgent Advantage, with interest and an unsettled feeling. The article, link provided below, quotes the work of John Robb from his blog, Global Guerilla. Robb suggests that our opponents in terrorist circles have morphed from being hierarchical and traditional in their structures into more modern forms in the way that information systems such as Linux have become more dispersed. Additionally, Robb observes that the goal of such terror networks is not to bring down traditional states but to create enough chaos that there are lawless spaces to operate in where disorder has unraveled the system. (Somehow this reminds me of the humans living in the interstitial spaces in the Matrix). If Robb's model is correct, we are aiming our traditional forces at a target they're not suited for--steamroller up against a thousand blades of grass.

I had trouble thinking of a solid critique of the observation; and could think of many examples that seemed to fit. Not a good sign. Read it for yourself!

http://iraqwarit.blogspot.com/2007/05/insurgent-advantage.html