Small Wars Journal | Siamak Naficy
Mongolia, a small state situated between Russia and China, should adopt a "mosaic defense" strategy, inspired by Iran's approach, to enhance its survivability against technologically superior adversaries. This strategy rejects the vulnerable "fortress model" of centralized command, which is easily paralyzed by precision strikes and cyber disruption. Iran's mosaic defense deliberately disperses critical capabilities, duplicates command authority, and localizes logistics, enabling semi-autonomous units like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij to function even if central command is degraded. For Mongolia, this necessitates decentralizing its highly concentrated infrastructure and decision-making authority away from Ulaanbaatar, embracing pre-authorization where local commanders act on intent rather than real-time instructions. While Mongolia cannot replicate Iran's external horizontal escalation, it can leverage its geographic position, critical mineral resources, and "third neighbor" diplomacy to internationalize conflicts and raise adversary costs. However, decentralized systems carry risks of internal manipulation, requiring robust authentication and clear authority boundaries. The article emphasizes that Mongolia must abandon the illusion of protecting the state by protecting its center, rediscovering its historical strength in dispersion and endurance.
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