Nonstate Warfare: The Military Methods of Guerillas, Warlords, and Militias

Stephen Biddle's book "Nonstate Warfare" challenges the distinction between state and nonstate military behavior by arguing that many nonstate armies now fight more conventionally than many state armies, and that the internal politics of nonstate actors determine tactics and strategies. He frames nonstate and state methods along a continuum and presents a systematic theory to explain any given nonstate actors position on this spectrum. Biddle demonstrates that viewing state and nonstate warfighting as mutually exclusive can lead to errors in policy and scholarship.

Format: Hardback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 06 April 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Since the events of September 11th, 2001, armed non-state actors have garnered increased attention and discussion from scholars, policymakers, and the military. At the heart of debates surrounding nonstate warfare and its appropriate countermeasures lies a fundamental assumption: that state and nonstate actors engage in distinct forms of warfare. In his book, Nonstate Warfare, Stephen Biddle challenges this notion by asserting that there is no inherent distinction between state and nonstate military behavior. Through a comprehensive examination of nonstate military conduct, Biddle demonstrates that many nonstate armies now employ more conventional tactics than many state armies. He further argues that the internal politics of nonstate actors, encompassing their institutional maturity and wartime stakes, rather than their material weapons or equipment, determine their tactics and strategies.

Biddle presents a continuum framework that categorizes nonstate and state methods, ranging from Fabian-style irregular warfare to Napoleonic-style warfare involving massed armies. He develops a systematic theory to explain the position of any given nonstate actor within this spectrum. By examining a diverse range of historical examples, including Lebanon, Iraq, Somalia, Croatia, and the Vietcong, Biddle highlights the limitations of material and tribal culture explanations for nonstate warfare methods. He argues that viewing state and nonstate warfighting as mutually exclusive can lead to errors in policy and scholarship.

Nonstate Warfare offers a comprehensive account of combat methods and military rationale, providing a fresh perspective on wartime military behavior. By challenging traditional distinctions and examining the complex interplay between state and nonstate actors, this book contributes to our understanding of the evolving nature of warfare in the 21st century.

Weight: 780g
Dimension: 166 x 243 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691207513