Overview
Conflict is a clash of wills that is fundamentally rooted in the threat or application of violence, death and destruction. Its nature is unchanging, but its character (how it is fought) continues to evolve.
The changing character of conflict and the reduction of strategic warning time complicate assuring Australia’s sovereignty and security.
The Australian Defence Force now describes peace and war— previously seen as absolute concepts—as a spectrum of competition, covering cooperation, competition and conflict.
Key Terms
conflict
A politico-military situation between peace and war, distinguished from peace by the introduction of organised political violence and from war by its reliance on political methods.