Abstract
Despite the advances made in social and industrial life hundreds of millions of people world-wide live in social groups that can be described as tribes. These groups translate into segments of societies that have little to do with political entities. Enemies with tribal identity are difficult to defeat, which is due to the inherent dynamics of primitive or tribal warfare that feature a strong similarity with biological evolution. In the case favourable conditions exist, these dynamics can accumulate into victory of the weaker and defeat of the stronger. In order to support this statement the authors use the Arab Revolt (1916–18) as an example, which is excellently explained in the “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” written by T. E. Lawrence.
Highlights
Changing ProspectsThe expected peace period after the demise of the bipolar world order did not last very long
In the article the authors first introduce the observed tendency that in asymmetric wars the weaker side has a greater chance to prevail
Regular soldiers soon found themselves involved in many little regional wars that very much differed from their ingrained perception of what a proper war should look like
Summary
The expected peace period after the demise of the bipolar world order did not last very long. Able to turn initial weakness into eventual strengths The war they wage appears primitive to regular soldiers and has very much in common with the tribal wars of sub-state societies of the past. It is important to note that throughout human history wars were mostly waged by social entities other than states, fought by social organizations other than armies with the involvement of combatants other than soldiers. These wars were mostly non-decisive, protracted engagements fought for limited objectives and by limited means. They were a permanent way of life and viewed as natural phenomenon. [3: 608] [16: 3] [17: 64] [18: 73] [19] [20] Unlike political wars regular soldiers are familiar with, these wars were necessary and brute mechanisms for the survival of the people involved in them and featured patterns and reasons thought to be extinct for long. [7: 15]
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