This book examines U.S. pro-insurgency paramilitary operations from the Cold War to today, highlighting their failures and negative outcomes. It discusses the history, function, and challenges of PMOs, including secrecy, accountability, and the divergence of interests between sponsors and proxies, arguing that covert operations are fundamentally flawed.
Krishnan describes military applications of neuroscience research and emerging neurotechnology with relevance to the conduct of armed conflict and law enforcement. This work builds upon literature by scholars such as Moreno and Giordano and fills an existing gap, not only in terms of reviewing available and future neurotechnologies and relevant applications, but by discussing how the military pursuit of these technologies fits into the overall strategic context. The first to sketch future neurowarfare by looking at its potentials as well as its inherent limitations, this book's main theme is how military neuroscience will enhance and possibly transform both classical psychological operations and cyber warfare. Its core argument is that nonlethal strategies and tactics could become central to warfare in the first half of the twenty-first century. This creates both humanitarian opportunities in making war less bloody and burdensome as well as some unprecedented threats and dangers in terms of preserving freedom of thought and will in a coming age where minds can be manipulated with great precision.
The book delves into the rise of military robots and autonomous systems in warfare, highlighting the potential exclusion of humans from combat and decision-making processes. Armin Krishnan analyzes the technological, legal, and ethical challenges posed by combat robotics, weighing their benefits against inherent limitations. He also offers insights into how international law could regulate the use of military robotics, aiming to address the complex implications of these advancements in warfare.
Fifth Generation Warfare (5GW) is explored as a crucial framework for analyzing modern conflicts, emphasizing the importance of controlling the human domain. The book examines various contemporary events, including the Arab Spring and the war in Ukraine, to illustrate how 5GW strategies manifest in these situations. By focusing on the evolving nature of warfare, it sheds light on the complexities and dynamics that shape current geopolitical landscapes.