Conflict, war and terrorism key word definitions

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Traditional War
As between states over territory or resources (wars of plunder)
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Interstate war
Is now less common and has been replaced by civil war which involves non state actors (E.g: guerrilla groups, resistance movements or terrorist organisations)
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War
Is organised, its is carried out by armed forces or trained fighters operating with a strategy. War is distinguished by scale or magnitude
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Conventional Warfare
Is a highly organised, disciplined affair that acknowledges war is a rule governed activity set out by the "laws of war"
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Modern Warfare
Is less organised and may involve irregular fighters who may not play by the rules which can blur the distinction between civilians and military life
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Proliferation
Is the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information
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Vertical Proliferation
The advancement or modernisation of a nation-state's nuclear weapons
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Horizontal Proliferation
The direct or indirect transfer of technologies from one nation state to another
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MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction)
A full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender
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WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction)
Nuclear/radiological/chemical/biological massive indiscriminate destructive capability
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Nuclear Winter
Theory that the smoke and dust created by nuclear explosions would extinguish the sun's rays and dramatically lower temperature on earth
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Nuclear Umbrella
Allying yourself with strong nuclear powers for protection. E.g: USA
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Arms Controll
The proliferation of arms is constrained by agreements limiting their production/distribution/use
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Disarmament
Scaling down/eliminating arms or categories of weapons
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Peace Divident
Reducing amount of money spent on weapons and arms
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State Terrorism
Carried out by government bodies, police/military/intelligence agencies
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New Terrorism
More radical than "Traditional" due to nature of organisation/political character/motivations and strategies
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Torture
Infliction of intense physical/mental pain as means of punishment/gain of information/confession
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Clash of Civilisations
21st century conflict will be cultural in character, rather than ideological, political or economic.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Is now less common and has been replaced by civil war which involves non state actors (E.g: guerrilla groups, resistance movements or terrorist organisations)

Back

Interstate war

Card 3

Front

Is organised, its is carried out by armed forces or trained fighters operating with a strategy. War is distinguished by scale or magnitude

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Is a highly organised, disciplined affair that acknowledges war is a rule governed activity set out by the "laws of war"

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Is less organised and may involve irregular fighters who may not play by the rules which can blur the distinction between civilians and military life

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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