Strategy and disproportionality in contemporary conflicts

"ABSTRACT: This article examines ‘disproportionality’. It begins by tabling some suggestions for how greater ‘proportionality’ can be attained and then maintained, particularly in international security operations. A process termed ‘proportionalisation’ is proposed. Lessons from ‘traditional’ strategic studies need to be re-asserted. This is so that some of the observed limitations with recent operations can be addressed. Losing sight of key objectives is unhelpful, not least when an essential clarity of focus and leadership is required. Today, a return to some classical notions is required to address the observed strategic vacuums, together with an improved intelligence methodology being needed. This article concludes by arguing that ‘disproportionality’ emerges when ‘high politics’ become increasingly disconnected and removed from their empirical bases and ‘low politics’. Greater connection needs to be engendered. Otherwise, in the absence of proportionality, strategies will increasingly fail, command and control will falter, and the desired goal of ‘operational success’ will elude us." - from journal.