This kind of warfare emerged largely in response to America’s overwhelming conventional military advantage after the Soviet Union’s collapse, underscored by its victory in the 1991 Iraq War, with only 148 American casualties, and its intervention in the 1999 conflict in Kosovo, in which no American lives were lost. In the face of this asymmetry, America’s opponents – both state and non-state actors – began to emphasize unconventional tactics.
这类战争主要是应对苏联解体后美国的压倒性传统军事优势而生的。1991年伊拉克战争和1999年干预科索沃冲突都是美国压倒性军事优势的写照。1991年美军只损失了148人，而1999年没有美国无一人死亡。面临如此实力不对称，美国的反对者——不管是国家还是非国家行动方——开始强调非传统战术。