Contours of Conflict in the 21st Century

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PERSPECTIVES: VIBRANT AND ETHNOCENTRICLengthFIGURE 28. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PARAMETERS: LENGTHOverall, the English language foresight literature does not devotesubstantial attention to the potential time span of future conflicts. Withinthis sidebar discussion, there was, however, a substantial difference ofopinion. The views were such that certain experts expect future conflictsto take years to settle (diffused conflicts, state-based stalemate conflicts,or conflicts outside of the physical domain (e.g., the return the 16th-17th ‘bankrupt the opponent’ mode of conflict). Within this view, onecommonly heard claim was that ‘we are in an era of persistent conflict’. 87Alternatively, other experts suggested that future conflicts would lastmerely minutes, possibly reflecting the changing nature of conflict inan era in which the conduct of conflict will be dominated by advancedtechnologies. 88 The military sees the future length of conflict as still beingmeasured in years.87 Dannatt, ‘A Perspective on the Nature of Future Conflict.’88 Barry D. Watts, ‘Clausewitzian Friction and Future War’ (National Defense University, 1996),http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/mcnair52.pdf.78Contours of Conflict in the 21 st Century