My voice is disguised by a heavy cold, I talk way to fast (as I do in real life when excited), and I didn’t sleep much the night before, but none the less, an interview I gave on 5GW for Brett Winterble’s Covert Radio has been published. The time runs 18m40s.

The interview covered the following:

- How we got to 5GW thinking

- My current 5GW definition

- Mentioned most of the USA’s opponents are 4GWers and briefly discussed Hezbollah vs Israel, and that domestic USA terror groups are 4GWish also.

- I covered the anti-Soviet 5GW (the 1947ers) documented by TDAXP and suggested establishing a similar 5GW (as originally suggested by TDAXP) to shrink the gap (if Thomas Barnett’s Grand Strategy for the US is to be adopted) to put gap-shrinking on automatic pilot so future USA leaders will have the right tool they need then to make short term decision which will tend to be gap-shrinking.

-I suggested that Sun-Tzu thinking was in harmony with 5GW.

- When asked about a possible 6GW I didn’t think it was likely…I wasn’t sure were the XGW could go for there to be a 6GW.

Some other notes:

- If I was writing out my responses I would have worded things differently

- I am proud I did not swear or use an evil laugh

- I don’t why I kept re-enforcing “institutions” over and over again

- The interview went so quick, I had lots of material left over

- Hope TDAXP is okay with me promoting his stuff

- The host, Brett Winterble, was gracious and easy to work with.

- I had lots of fun

- I hope I get invited again!

I would appreciate feedback on the content and the style.

You may find these 5GW-related links to be interesting.

There have been other works of fiction discussed in 5GW circles that, to some extent or in some part, contain elements that could be used as examples of Fifth Generation Warfare theory. Ender’s Game and other books of the ‘Enderverse’ come to mind. Daemon by Leinad Zeraus, however, doesn’t just contain elements of 5GW thought; it is a book that embodies nearly every aspect of a 5GW conflict.

 

 All of the elements of Fifth Generation Warfare are here. The Daemon controls a highly distributed organization that works by proxy and in secret. Even when its targets know the Daemon exists and is attacking them they themselves are forced to keep its existence secret. The Daemon uses the rule-sets of its opponents against themselves so that when they attempt to respond to it they are doing exactly what the Daemon wants them to do. The Daemon’s proxies resemble everything from multi-national corporations to Global Guerillas and are sometimes, willing, sometimes unwilling and very often unaware.

 

This is a third style of 5GW in my slow-motion series and follows the Puppet Master style and the Socio-Political Entrepreneurship style.

Working Definition of Fifth Generation Warfare (aka 5GW aka SecretWar):

5GW is the secret deliberative manipulation of actors, networks, institutions, states or any 0GW/1GW/2GW/3GW/4GW forces to achieve a goal or set of goals across a combination of socio, economic, and political domains while attempting to avoid or minimize the retaliatory offensive or defensive actions/reactions of 0GW/1GW/2GW/3GW/4GW powered actors, networks, institutions, and/or states.

Working Definition of Strategic Citizen (v0.1):

Ordinary individuals and/or Super-Empowered Individuals who
successfully make use of any of the technological, socio, economic, or
political domains to have a strategic impact on the world.

Working Definition of Strategic Citizen 5GW:

The purposeful action of 5GW by Strategic Citizen (SC) actors who are unconnected in any way except for the desired related end effects to be achieved through the sum of the individual actions.

Disclaimer: Not all SC are involved in 5GW; not all 5GW will be done by SC

Characteristics/Notes:

So, would a 5GW organization resemble a non-religious Cult with secrecy, cohesion, strange practices and goals?

Would looking like a cult be away for the 5GW org to hide its true intentions?

These are all newish.

— Skilluminati’s “The Language of Power”:

Spooky action at a distance is a great single-sentence summary of 5GW.
For brainfood I submit Henry Okah, David Myatt and Ronald Stark. In
terms of clinical psychology, 5GW operatives are NOT SANE — they are
sociopaths, they are monomaniacs, etc. Effective 5GW is all-consuming
and requires greater discipline than most humans are willing to subject
themselves to.

I really like ” “Spooky action at a distance” or just “spooky action” as a 5GW action term.

The sociopath angle is interesting….and bears some consideration. I can definitely see that for the Puppet Master Style of 5GW at least.


— John Goekler at Counterpunch has an article entitled: “Fourth Generation Warfare in a Fifth Generation Conflict”:

5GW is a whole other kettle of fish. In 5GW, the goal is not to seize the levers of power so much as it is to weaken or “hollow out” state control, in order to fill the ensuing vacuum. The actors are not necessarily political movements, or even recognized groups. Their motivation is as likely to be micro-economic as ideological, and may be social or—most likely—some blend of the above. To conflate these under any label, be it “jihadists”, “losers and dead-enders” or “militias” is to misunderstand them completely.

This Sounds like the John Robb’s re-definition of Global Guerrillas as 5GW. He continues:

5GW is sometimes called, “open source” warfare, or “war of super-empowered individuals”, because modern weapons and technologies have conferred tremendous power on small actors. One person with a kilo of plastic explosive and a simple detonator can do millions of dollars in damage to key infrastructure, such as pipelines, electrical grids, water treatment plants or bridges.

So, yep, 5GW = Global Guerrillas with a bit of Hammes themed 5GW too. Most of what he calls 5GW is 4GW or possibly a new form of 3GW in some cases.

— Podcast: Art of Memtics

— Reasonable Citizen on 4GW

— Mountain Runner on Smart Power:

Smart Power is “the capacity of an actor to combine elements of hard power and soft power in ways that are mutually reinforcing such that the actor’s purposes are advanced effectively and efficiently.” Those familiar with Sun Tzu and Clausewitz will recognize the four elements of Smart Power:…
[…]
To correct this, Ernie says smart power needs a smart campaign. The concepts of hard and soft power need to be reframed and remastered.
[…]
Smart Power will be the product of revolution of national security affairs.

— 2008 Unrestricted Warfare Symposium

— TDAXP’s “The Thomas Crown Affair, a 5GW Primer”

 Just a quick note to share an interesting term I ran across that might be a catchy title for Fifth Generation Warfare actors or organizations. 

 

Dark Lantern: A lantern with an opening, which may be
      closed to conceal the light.

 

Fraser shifted a bit in his library chair. “Dr. Mallory, my Bureau exists to destroy conspiracies. We are not without experience. We are not without our resources. We will not be trumped by some shabby clique of dark-lanternists. We mean to have the lot of these plotters, branch and root, and we will do it sooner, sir, if you are frank with me, and tell me all you know.” 

 

From The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling

 

The term ‘dark-lanternist’ literally means somebody who moves around after dark with a lantern that is specifically designed to have its light concealed. Consequently, it has come to be synonymous with plotters and conspirators who wish to keep their presence well-hidden, something that seems eminently well-suited to the world of 5GW.

It may, in fact, be quite visible.

 

For example:

 

“We were fourtunate that we were able to seed it. And a few places kept picking it up and wondering if it was real, was it fake? And then I think we had a little ‘Ah-Ha’ moment and said, could we keep this going. Could we extend the life of a viral video and make the McCain Girls a story rather than a one-hit-wonder.”

Sarah Bernard

President of 23/6 

 

 

While a Fifth Generation Warfare campaign may itself be shrouded in misdirection and secrecy, the lessons, theories, practices and elements that inform its development may be completely transparent and available for study by an actor who grasps the implications.

 

Is this blogger going to be a new 5GW theorist?

My interest in 5GW (5th Generation Warfare) is rooted in it’s potential for positive social and cultural change.

The comment made me think of of former 5GW blogger/commenter RevG.

The blog looks a bit strange - let me say eclectic instead.

I found no other reference to 5gw on his web site. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with though.

FYI: Here is how I currently define Fifth Generation Warfare.

Update: This might be the associated blog. This is the 5GW category.

Update: This is definitely the blog.  It was cross posted to Stealth-is-Knowledge. Stealth-is-Knowledge has a 5GW link (but I have not evaluated it yet).