# PTE SWT #18: Modern Asymmetric Warfare and...

Summarize Written Text #18 - Level 2 - Feeds Writing + Reading

> Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your answer.

In such an environment, warfare is no longer purely directed against the military potential of adversarial states. It is rather directed at infiltrating all areas of their societies and to threaten their existences. The comparatively easy access to weapons of mass destruction, in particular relatively low-cost biological agents, is of key concern. Both governmental and non-governmental actors prefer to use force in a way that can be characterized as "unconventional" or also as "small wars." War waged according to conventions is an interstate phenomenon. The "small war" is the archetype of war, in which the protagonists acknowledge no rules and permanently try to violate what conventions do exist. The protagonists of the "small war" observe neither international standards nor arms control agreements. They make use of territories where they do not have to fear any sanctions because there is no functioning state to assume charge of such sanctions or because the state in question is too weak to impose such sanctions. This type of war does not provide for any warning time. It challenges not only the external security of the nation states and international community, but also their internal safety.

## Answer

Modern warfare extends beyond targeting military potential to infiltrating societies and threatening their existence, with concerns over easy access to weapons of mass destruction and unconventional "small wars" that disregard international rules, posing challenges to both external security and internal safety without warning time due to non-state actors and weak states.

## Explanation

A high-scoring response effectively synthesizes the shift from conventional state-based conflict to unconventional, decentralized threats. It must clearly articulate how the lack of rules, the use of biological agents, and the exploitation of weak states create a new paradigm of global insecurity.

## Hints

- Focus on the contrast between traditional interstate warfare and the modern, unconventional methods described in the text.
- Ensure your summary addresses the specific dangers mentioned, such as the lack of warning time and the targeting of societal structures.

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