Word: using
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Dates: during 2000-2000
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...these circumstances, or when the vital interests of Western nations are at stake, the restraints of Operation Allied Force may not apply. Despite their aversion to risks and casualties, most Western nations will, if necessary, be politically capable of waging intense, highly destructive warfare. Expect nations to use most of the weapons at their disposal, including ground forces, and to take greater risks. There may be deep helicopter-borne assaults, fierce night attacks and sweeping armored maneuvers, all supported by highly lethal area weapons and long-range precision-kill capabilities. Political constraints will be relaxed, and control of the actions...
There will be other requirements for ground troops too, such as the lengthy and difficult peace-support missions in the Balkans. These may not seem like war, but the troops are armed and ready. They prefer to use presence, maneuver and intimidation to accomplish their purpose rather than active combat. But they can act, and they sometimes must defend themselves...
...must be able to operate with our allies. Land and naval forces will be needed as well as aerospace power, and all must be able to work jointly. We will still require a nuclear deterrent. Our armed forces must have the latest in technology and be agile enough to use it to achieve their assigned objectives within the directed political constraints. But, above all, we will still need talented, resourceful and courageous men and women to fight and direct our military actions...
...platoon pinned down by enemy fire will be able to pull a bird-size airplane out of a rucksack and use its video camera to spy over the next hill, behind buildings and beyond eyesight. Such micro-air vehicles will fly as far as six miles from their takeoff point for as long as two hours, feeding video images back to special military ground stations that will use the information to coordinate ground attacks and air strikes. Pentagon researchers are busy developing aviation assets even tinier than such mechanical sparrows. They're training honeybees, parasitic wasps and giant sphinx moths...
Orphans such as Israel, India and Pakistan live in dangerous neighborhoods and have legitimate security concerns. They will probably behave just as the original nuclear powers did, which is to say they will use the weapons primarily for deterrence. The ultimate effect of their joining the club should be to extend the cold war's great power stability--and harrowing crises--to a few regional hot spots. The chief problem with the orphans is getting them to understand the importance of proper safety measures, secure command and control procedures, and other cold war lessons...