General approaches to asymmetric warfare in Colombia

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the asymmetric components of the terrorist threat in Colombia, as well as to propose a discussion space for the response, also asymmetric, of the Military Forces, particularly the Colombian Army. For this purpose, the period in which the theoretical analysis will be framed covers from the 1990s, taking however as a reference some moments of the 1980s, to end up in the most recent military operations, such as Operation Sodoma.

The structure of this article proposes a first part of theoretical discussion on concepts of asymmetric warfare applicable to the analysis of the terrorist threat in Colombia. Subsequently, reference will be made to the asymmetric characteristics of terrorist groups and, finally, analytical approaches will be made on the adequate use of the Colombian Army's military power under an asymmetric operational template.

To a large extent, the information and analysis proposed in the article are theoretical developments generated by the Asymmetric Warfare Research Center (CIGA), belonging to the BG School of Intelligence and Counter intelligence. Ricardo Charry Solano, in its research lines of Asymmetric Warfare Studies, Asymmetric Warfare Economics, Asymmetric Warfare Doctrine and Geopolitics. These lines are constantly generating theoretical guidelines applicable in internal CIGA documents or in national or international Asymmetric Warfare courses.