The history of mankind is a series of military conflicts. Over the centuries, the armaments of the warring parties and the tactics of the troops changed. But the goals of modern warfare remain the same: it is the seizure of territories, the suppression of enemy resistance, as well as the elimination of its political, military and industrial potential.
Instruction manual
1
Modern war most often begins with active political training. To achieve influence in a foreign state, the aggressor tries to use the promotion of his proteges into political structures and authorities of another country. Such hidden aggression often turns into a direct pressure on the power of a sovereign state and imposing its will on a potential adversary.
2
Sometimes the result of political influence does not suit the aggressor, especially if the “victim” retains the ability to resist someone else’s political will. In this case, the tactics of conducting "velvet" revolutions or direct armed intervention in the internal affairs of the state are used. The usual pretext in this case is the "restoration of democracy" or the suppression of the resistance of "terrorists". The political phase of aggression develops into direct military action.
3
Most modern wars take place within a limited territory. But this does not mean at all that local military operations cannot cover large areas. An example is the global war on international terrorism waged by the United States of America around the world. If a political group does not suit the US government, it is equated with a terrorist organization and becomes an object of aggression.
4
Modern wars are total in nature, because they cover not only the entire physical space where a person lives, but also the mental space. One of the powerful factors of modern military confrontation is the information war, which is fought on television, on the radio and on the Internet. For those involved in military conflicts, information flows from all sides, most of which is tendentious and cannot be verified.
5
The special nature of modern warfare is also associated with a change in the objectives of military operations. If in earlier times the aggressor sought to achieve surrender of the enemy and overthrow the legitimate government, now he is trying to "dissolve" state power, casting doubt on the very fact of its existence. Such tactics make resistance on the part of the “victim” meaningless, because it becomes unclear what exactly needs to be protected.
6
Wars in the modern era are protracted. Fighting often cannot be reduced to a single decisive battle or series of battles. An example is military conflict in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. From time to time, one of the parties carries out a decisive military operation, but this only leads to a temporary local victory, without affecting the overall outcome of the war.
