Fourth-Generation Armies in Iraq

William S. Lind has given a very interesting analysis of the current situation in Iraq. In his most recent commentary When Is a Militia not a Militia? he remarks on the sudden rise of well militias in Iraq; while the US military of course refuses to acknowledge them as such out of political correctness. As Lind himself remarks; ”Well, that certainly solves the problem. A militia isn't a militia if we don't call it a militia. And we can't call it a militia, because we have decreed there shall be no militias in Iraq.”

Lind goes on to explain why such militias are becoming more widespread not only in Iraq but elsewhere, namely that they arise when there is a lack of central authority. Militias and similar forms of military organization are common features of what Lind refers to as “Fourth-Generation” warfare. Basically that means a high-tech return to the form of warfare that was commonplace during the medieval period. So according to Lind, the army of the future will bear more resemblance to the Anglo-Saxon Fyrd than to the science fiction fantasy soldiers that the Pentagon seems obsessed with.

Certainly the idea of a nation’s defense depending on an armed citizenry organized along a militia-style system figures very strongly with Third Positionist attitudes towards the matter, as I outlined here. So this is a potentially positive development going on in Iraq, but perhaps it’s too soon to tell. I certainly agree with Lind’s call for the immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq (but that’s another topic to discuss).