ASYMMETRY

The　hot　new　lopsidedness　in　warmaking By　William　Safire
“Asymmetric　warfare,”said　Maj．Gen．Perry　Smith,retired,“is　the　term　of　the　day．”President　Bush　evidently　agrees:“We　need　to　rethink　how　we　configure　our　military,”he　told　his　first　prime—time　news　conference,“．．．so　that　we　more　effectively　respond　to　asymmetrical responses　from　terrorist　organizations．”
The　prime　user　is　Secretary　of　Defense　Donald　Rumsfeld．After　noting　reˉcently　that　“we　really　are　going　to　have　to　fashion　a　new　vocabulary”to　describe　the　new　kind　of　warfare,he　told　reporters　that　he　had　long　been　talking　of“asymmetrical　threats”like“terrorism　and　ballistic　missiles,cruise　missiles,cyberattacks．”When　Tim　Russert　of“Meet　the　Press”tried　to　pin　him　down　further　with“What　are　asymmetrical methods?”Rumsfeld　came　up　with　the　same　examples　but　not　a　definition．
Let's　begin　with　symmetry,meaning“in　balance;in　proportionate　arrangement,”often　implying　a　beauty　that　flows　from　such　regularity．The　middle　syllable　is　met,its　root　in　the　Greek　metron,“measure,”which　acts　as　a　fulcrum　in　a　nicely　balanced　word．William　Blake　used　it　most　memorably　in　his　1794　poem“The　Tyger,”concluding,“What　immortal　hand　or　eye/Dare　frame　thy　fearful　symmetry?”
Asymmetric（or　asymmetrical）has　the　obvious　dictionary　definition　of“not　symmetric”and　the　slang　meaning　of“out　of　whack,”but　a　less　pejorative　sense　is　developing:“offbeat,intriguingly　unbalanced．”
Asymmetrical　warfare　is　defined　by　the　Defense　Department　as“countering　an　adversary's　strengths　by　focusing　on　its　weaknesses．”Michael　Krepon　wrote　in　the　May—June　issue　of　Foreign　Affairs that　asymmetrical　warfare　allows　a　weaker　opponent　to　level　the　playing　field　by　unorthodox　means．”
The　earliest　citation　of　the　phrase　I　can　find,and　one　that　suggests　earlier　military　use,is　by　Robert　Fox,a　reporter　for　The　Daily　Telegraph　in　1991．He　quoted　a　British　commander,Lt．Col．Mike　Vickery,who　compared　the　coming　allied　attack　on　Iraq　to　an　unconventional　maneuver　by　the　14th　Hussars　in　the　Peninsular　War,as　the　English　under　the　future　duke　of　Wellington　drove　the　French　out　of　Spain:“The　regiment　was　detailed　to　move　round　the　flanks,sneak　round　the　back,you　might　say,to　harry　the　rear　and　baggage　train．　It　was　what　today　we　call　asymmetric　warfare．”（A　trophy　of　that　unconventional　engagement　in　1813　was　a　solid　silver　chamber　pot　given　by Napoleon　Bonaparte　to　his　brother　Joseph．）
In　the　past　decade,the　phrase　was　applied　to　war　that　might　be　waged　against　a　superpower．Clinton's　defense　secretary　William　S．Cohen,in　a　farewell　speech　in　January,defined　it　as“indirect,but　highly　lethal,attacks　on　our　forces　and　our　citizens,not　always　from　nations　but　from　individuals　and　even　independent　groups．”
Until　recently,the　meaning　was　limited　to　the　application　of　surprise　force　by　a　terrorist　against　a　stronger　force's　vulˉnerability,but　ever　since　the　Sept．11　attack,　Pentagonians　have　been　applying　asymmetric　warfare　to　the　kind　of　commando　and　anti—guerrilla　techniques,drawing　heavily　on　intelligence　data,to　be　used　against　Taliban　forces　in　Afghanistan—using　non—superpower　strength　to　go　after　a　weaker　foe's　vulnerabilities．The　idea　is　to　fight　asymmetry　with　asymmetry．
Lopsidedness（from　lop,“to　sever”）is　in　fashion　in　fashion,too:“Onlysquares　will　be　wearing　straight　hems　next　spring,”writes　Holly　Finn　in　The　Financial　Times,“but　fear　not．Done　well,an　asymmetrical　hem　looks　sexier．”