Credit: BBC News

While analysts have recognized a plethora of emerging non-traditional threats to national and international security there has been a consistent effort to portray them as objects. Notably the Global War on Terror brought confusion since the stated objective was to eliminate a means of conducting attacks. In fact, it was elimination of terrorists that was the objective. Using the snake model of counterterrorism, military action focused on elimination of key leadership such as Osama bin Laden. The premise was that decapitation would disrupt or significantly degrade the entire organization. However, it has become apparent that there was no terrorist snake. Rather, lurking treacherously was a virulent Hydra capable of constant regeneration and multiplying.

As the threats are perpetually morphing government agencies are relegated to constantly playing catch-up. Most analysts assume that recognizable structures for their adversaries must exist. Further they tend to anticipate that opposing organizational structure will follow the rules normally associated with Western social order and inherently are hierarchical in nature. After attacks there is a search for the architect that they assume must be present. The reality is […]