Sun Tzu vs. ISIS: The Art of War on Terror

Sebastian J. Bae

Security, Middle East

Sun Tzu understood knowledge of the adversary’s disposition, position, intentions and capabilities were paramount in achieving victory.

Carl von Clausewitz, the young Prussian strategist of the Napoleonic age, is a giant in the field of security studies. His seminal work, On War, is widely considered the definitive text in understanding the nature of war. His famous quote, “War is the continuation of politics by other means,” is generally considered the cardinal rule for war—it is often quoted and equally often ignored in practice. So, it is unsurprising that contemporary Western strategists and thinkers look towards Clausewitz for answers and insights, but is he the only choice?