野蛮对手的崛起

THE RISE OF THE FERALADVERSARYALON PAZNOVEMBER 13,2014COMMENTARYThe recent war in Gaza was a glimpse of one type of conflict that Israel and likely other Western countries canexpect to fight in the Middle East.This form is the outcome of three major trends:glocalization,when local power isamplified by global connectedness;littoralization,the rapid urbanization in coastal zones;and feralization,the gradualreplacement of state-order by local violent armed actors.These trends set the conditions for the emergence of a newtype of enemy the feral adversary.Avoiding conventional warfare altogether,this enemy has found an effectiveformula to force its Western opponents into a kind of war that defies orthodox definitions and categories one wherewar and peace merge,diffusing into every domain of human activity.First,I will illustrate the trends that brought about this new adversary,then I will describe its way of war,using examplesfrom the Israeli experience.Surely,much about feral adversaries is not new,and this will not be the only form of warWestern states and militaries can expect.Nevertheless,the feral adversary will represent a significant and increasinglypredominant challenge in the r