What are characteristics about war today?

Answer 1

With the exceptions of campaigns (Philippine Insurrection, Boxer Rebellion, Indian Wars, etc.) wars were generally fought between NATIONS; that is to say Another Country with a standing Army or Navy (or Air Force).

After the Vietnam War, no nations were fought in the traditional bloody manner (with armies, navies, and air forces).

A last attempt to fight a traditional war with the traditional army/navy/and air force was against Iraq in 1991 (Operation Desert Storm) then again against Iraq with Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Both wars were so quick and easy that Iraq collapsed within weeks (100 hours for Desert Storm). Iraq gave no competition for the US army/navy/ or air force. Result? The US Army/US Navy/and US Air Force does not have anyone else to fight in the traditional way. Result? Base closures! Base closures were occurring before Desert Storm in 1991; if anything DS slowed down the process a bit.

However, with no enemy to fight in the "traditional" sense, the US Military must now, and has been since 9/11, fight "specialized warfare"...read: smart weapons/super snipers (Browning .50 caliber sniper rifles)/stealth aircraft and naval vessels. Example: Today's infantrymen now wear everyting from night-vision goggles attached to their firearms and helmets to knee and elbow pads (they look like police SWAT teams...or the police look like infantrymen). Take a look at a US military fighting man in a WWII or Vietnam War photograph, look at the artillerymen...they'll be shirtless wearing only trousers. Compare that image with a US artillerymen in Afghanistan or Iraq; they'll look like already described...hi-tech uniforms and hi-tech protection gear.

War today is specialized precise technical killing conducted by an equal opportunity military. Prior to today, wars were fought between armies/navies/and airforces by men.