Fourth generation war is zeroth generation tribal war with high tech accoutrements. It is raids and terror propagandized by 24/7 media, organized via internet and smart phones.
We must regain our understanding of what war is. The purpose of war is not armies fighting each other. The opposing field forces are an obstacle to achieving your goals, not the goal itself. There are three purposes to war, all of which intertwine to various degrees:
1. Regime change. The game of princes, where provinces change hands or leadership in a sort of blood sport for the nobility. Neither side really cares about the opinions or welfare of the peasants, but they may pretend to as a valuable propaganda tool. (The Norman conquest of England.)
2. Conquest. Terrorize the enemy population into submission to your will. This may be related to purpose #1, if the population cares about what the rules are and who makes them, or if the conqueror is a totalitarian or religious zealot, or if the culture of the conquered differs significantly from the conqueror. (The Viking conquest of England.)
3. Extermination. Slaughter the enemy population, generally (but not always) so you can colonize their lands and take their women. Purposes #1 and #2 may come into play to make it easier. (The Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.)
To paraphrase Heinlein, nobody cares about the death of the 5th spear carrier from the left on some far-flung battlefield. They care when they see the mayor, the police chief, and the high school principal stung up from lampposts.
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