The rand corporation published this white-paper on the subject that I think many of you may find interesting. (Not surprisingly, many of these are ideas I played with liberally during the creation of Fallen Nation.)
“Editors’ abstract. As with other new modes of conflict, the practice of netwar is ahead of theory. In this concluding chapter, we suggest how the theory of netwar may be improved by drawing upon academic perspectives on networks, especially those devoted to organizational network analysis. Meanwhile, strategists and policymakers in Washington, and elsewhere, have begun to discern the dark side of the network phenomenon, especially among terrorist and criminal organizations. But they still have much work to do to harness the bright side, by formulating strategies that will enable state and civil-society actors to work together better.”
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Ah, I did indeed notice these similarities when reading Fallen Nation. I had in fact wondered if you had read John Arquilla and David Ronfeldt’s book on the subject, which I believe is an extended version of this paper.
Quite a bit of research has gone into this in recent years. Another good source is John Robb’s Global Guerrillas website. And if you’re willing to splash out on some cash, I cannot recommend Terrorism, Networks and Global Insurgency (edited by Robert J Bunker) enough.
I’m still a bit sad that Alexi died.
Alexi? Shit. So did Dionysus.
All things (good, bad, or indifferent) must come to an end.