How to take the asymmetry out of asymmetric war
Key takeaways
- A female military personnel of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) wearing virtual reality equipment sits next to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) during a military parade in Tehran, Iran, on April 17, 2026.
- To be absolutely clear, unless led by incompetents, all wars are fought with attempts to exploit asymmetric advantages.
- During the Battle of France in 1940, the British and French had superiority in the quality of and quantity of weapons.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
A female military personnel of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) wearing virtual reality equipment sits next to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) during a military parade in Tehran, Iran, on April 17, 2026. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/Nur Photo via Getty Images) On this Memorial Day, it is particularly relevant to make the case again as to why the terms asymmetric and hybrid are misplaced in examining war.
To be absolutely clear, unless led by incompetents, all wars are fought with attempts to exploit asymmetric advantages. They are also all hybrid in the sense that they use old means in new ways or new means and tactics to achieve the goals of the war.
During the Battle of France in 1940, the British and French had superiority in the quality of and quantity of weapons. But the Germans cheated with Blitzkrieg and circumvented the Maginot Line by attacking through relatively undefended Holland and Belgium.