4th Generation Warfare.
The advocates of the disarmament of the American populace such as the aforementioned CSGV always begin by saying that no group of citizenry can oppose the might of the federal government because of the vast array of weaponry including aircraft, artillery and even nuclear weapons that the federals could bring to bear if they are opposed trumps any number of armed “insurrectionists” with rifles. This ludicrous argument is not only contradicted by many examples throughout history but begs the moral question of resistance to a predatory government itself. If a government is so depraved as to use nuclear weapons against its own people on its own soil, it will not long survive the condemnation of even the people who otherwise support it. The same goes for artillery and air strikes, even so called “surgical, decapitation operations.” (More about that in a minute.) Such weapons are, in 4GW, merely expensive but useless, appendages, especially in an uncontrolled media environment....
Finally, because of the long timelines, even the objectives are different. Fourth-generation-warfare opponents do not seek to service more targets faster to disrupt an enemy’s OODA loop. They do not seek to destroy an opponent’s industrial base using the U.S. Air Force’s concept of targeting key segments of an opponent’s society. Nor do they seek to dislocate the enemy’s armed forces so that their decision cycle fails and the enemy collapses. In fact, it is essential to 4GW strategists that the opponent complete his strategic OODA loop -- with the resulting decision that the war is too costly to continue. -- Hammes, Ibid.
I am not so sure this will be true of the next Civil War. First, we do not have an uncontrolled media. The Government will be controlling much of the narrative.
You can count on the government creating OKLA Bomber like events.. because they can confidently initiate such false flags without fear of detection, and they will be required to keep the sheeple rallied to their side. . Further I think "targeting key segments of the opponents society" will be the only way around that. The "industrial base" that the elite have are the stupid, conformist, trendy liberal morons that inhabit cities, who can be reliably called upon to "vote" and lend credence to the idea the Elite are a legitimate force, in a legitimate system instead of a mafia with a band of paid thugs and hanger's on paid with tax payer dollars. This base can literal be said to manufacture political power, and this base must become disillusioned and ineffective. That means attacks on infrastructure that indirectly cause pain to civilians - especially their base in the cities. Power outrages, Sewer backups, Fuel, food and water shortages. No Salt for the roads. Train derailments.
These can and will be deadly- just not in the direct and violent way the Oklahoma City bombing was. But the Sheeple won't stop listening to "Everything is Awesome" until its is personally not awesome for them. By default they believe the govt's job is to be the parent protect them like children - so they will automatically blame the government for not getting food or fuel or water to them as they sit on the bridges.
Patriots are also very likely to have personnel in key positions to disrupt the OODA loop , and I think it would be foolish not to use that tool- or in fact all tools available.
I do agree with the idea that such warfare usually takes decades.. but because of the financial situation, I suspect that they will decide the war is too costly rather quickly.. when the troops refuse their little bits of paper because they buy nothing. They just don't have much time left.. certainly not decades..