Globalization and Asymmetrical Warfare: Information and Technology, Media Effects, Merging of Defense and Commercial Technologies, Nuclear and Cyber Attack Threats to America, Force Structure

This research paper analyzes the globalization trend and the effect it is having on the ability to conduct asymmetrical attacks against the United States and our Allies worldwide. This research is intended to provide insight into the way that globalization is allowing our potential adversaries to act on a global scale.

Globalization is having a tremendous effect on the ability of terrorist and criminal organizations to act on a global scale. These organizations are using asymmetrical means to target U.S. interests at home and abroad. The events of September 11th were the culminating effect of this trend that has played an increasingly greater role in the world in which we live. This research paper analyzes the globalization trend and the effect it is having on the ability to wage this new type of war. The negative effects of globalization have continued to create a large disenfranchised population primarily centered in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. This disenfranchised population has become the recruitment pool and their countries have become training bases for the networked terrorist and criminal who take advantage of the tools of globalization. Those tools include the internet that provides secure means of communication, the technology that enables them to act, and the porous environment that allows one to move around the world undetected. The U.S. needs to develop a better National Security Structure to deal with this threat and solve longstanding foreign policy issues. This security structure would take advantage of a network architecture that would be much more suited to managing information which is the primary weapon in the globally connected world. Policy changes would address issues that only fuel resentment and hatred towards the U.S. and make it easier for our adversaries to plan and conduct asymmetrical attacks.

PREFACE * ABSTRACT * INTRODUCTION * GLOBALIZATION, INFORMATION, AND POWER * Globalization * Information and Technology * Media Effects * TECHNOLOGY PROLIFERATION, AND THE RISE OF THE NETWORK * Technology Transfer * Merging of Defense and Commercial Technologies * The Rise of the Networked Actor * ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE AND THREATS TO THE UNITED STATES * Nuclear Terrorism and Critical Infrastructure * Cyber Attack * Military Threat * U.S. FORCE STRUCTURE AND POLICY CHANGES * DOD Force Structure * Homeland Defense Force * Policy Issues * CONCLUSION * BIBLIOGRAPHY