In recent years, the United States and NATO conducted the study of so-called gray zone as the strategic environment, in which the international system is reformatted under the rules of the new world order, Alexander writes Bartosz in & Quot; Independent newspaper". Here changes are subject to regulatory provisions, institutions, national interests and priorities of. Actions in the gray zone embody one of the versions of the forced containment strategy, built on modern technologies of hybrid war. Such operations allow to compete with states, It is lower than the normal threshold of war and below the threshold of, that may cause international reaction. Отсюда и термин "серая зона" как промежуточная среда между черным и белым, war and peace.
В США планирование операций в серой зоне относят к сфере "стратегий неопределенности", which involve the creation of conditions in the political and military sphere in a particular state, or region on the world stage, when it is difficult to correctly assess the situation, effective use of the army and to make adequate, commensurate political steps.
According to the established tradition in the West, the authors of the gray zone of the concept of the modern look for examples of its use outside the scope of strategy, used in everyday practice, the US and NATO: is China's actions in the South China Sea, Russia in the south-east of Ukraine, in Central Europe and the Middle East, Iran in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The meaning of such actions, According to the authors of the strategy, It is, that these subjects challenged US leadership, alliances and partnerships in Eastern Europe, East Asia and the Middle East in order to promote their own vision of a multipolar world, in which America will be more limited and its impact blurred.
An important characteristic of the gray zone is to use it within a phased approach, whose task is not to achieve specific tactical goals, and in the formation of the growing avalanche of relatively small-scale events, the totality of which serves as a catalyst in the formation of an entirely new strategic reality. In this stepwise approach complicates the task of balancing and containment, which requires coordinated countermeasures.
In the gray zone states used unconventional means. This well-designed and well-integrated non-military and paramilitary agents, chosen so, чтобы в результате их использования избежать нарушения "красных линий", to prevent the escalation of the conflict to the level of, на котором станет возможным вмешательство ООН на основе резолюции "Об агрессии" от 14 December 1974 of the year, the introduction of the article 5 Treaty, the collective defense of NATO or the tightening of economic and other sanctions.
As a result, consistent and careful use set of actions in the gray area of the resulting component in each given moment should be placed below the threshold traditional conflict. The conflict in the gray area has a political aim, are achieved by means of integrated heterogeneous operations using essentially, but not exclusively non-military tools. Wherein each of the separate operations is not intended however any ambitious goals, and the success of the entire campaign is achieved through the synergistic effects of a set of relatively small targeted operations.
Gray area creates a wide space for the concentration of diverse problems, associated with the unique protection methods, High hybridization dynamics, as well as threats to existing agreements in the military sphere and the risk of misunderstanding. Gray zone similar war, as it can form strategic results, however, this is not war, because in this case the methods used are a unique combination of methods intimidation, coercion and aggression, steps which are used to suppress the resistance, the conquest of the local or regional benefits and risks of manipulation in their favor. This description suggests, that the gray area is a new space between the traditional concepts of war and peace.
Used in the gray area of methods and tools do not fit the image of the traditional linear model of military conflicts, which makes it difficult to use the waste defensive actions. The non-linear character of the conflict is the most important factor, contributing to the preparation of strategic advantages through relatively minor impacts. All this greatly complicates the task of choosing between action and inaction: each of the options, it is equally responsible and unpleasant, which has a devastating effect on the counter-strategy, developed by the opposing party.
One of the leading researchers of the Institute of Strategic Studies USA, Military Ground Forces College Professor H. Freyer says, the gray zone includes aggressive government policies with high stakes, в которых каждый из участников использует различные инструменты влияния и запугивания для достижения "конечных целей войны" с помощью скрытых или открытых средств и методов, provocations and conflicts. Каждый пытается не допустить собственного "разоблачения", avoid direct military conflict with other centers of power and maximize their own benefits.
state, leading hybrid war in the gray zone, They see it as a less expensive alternative to traditional war. Features gray area allows to use different ways of military and non-military violence gradually, covertly and indirectly.
