Revolution in Military Affairs
Raphael Cohen and the False Promise of Strategic Bombing
Mar 3, 2025
Raphael Cohen, a senior political scientist at RAND and an expert in defense strategy, discusses the misconceptions surrounding strategic bombing in modern warfare. He critiques the belief that technological advancements equate to military success, revealing how such campaigns often empower adversaries rather than defeat them. Cohen highlights the strategic implications of drone warfare and the historical failures of air power, stressing that contemporary conflicts require a reevaluation of traditional military strategies and their political motivations.
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Quick takeaways
- Strategic bombing often fails to achieve its intended outcomes, as targeted nations frequently respond with increased resilience and resistance.
- The blurred distinction between tactical and strategic warfare leads to miscalculations in expected results from bombing campaigns, which historically do not guarantee victory.
Deep dives
The Misconception of Strategic Bombing Success
Strategic bombing is often viewed as a way to incapacitate an adversary's ability to wage war by targeting their industrial capabilities and morale. However, the effectiveness of such tactics has been called into question, as these campaigns typically do not achieve the intended outcomes. For instance, nations such as Iran and the Houthis have demonstrated that even with limited air power, they can still execute strikes against significant targets, underscoring that air superiority does not guarantee strategic success. Despite advancements in military technology like drones, historical examples reveal that bombing often galvanizes the targeted nations, compelling them to resist rather than surrender.
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