American Geopolitical Strategy and the Israel-Hamas War
For understandable reasons, much of the analysis of the war between Israel and Hamas focuses on concerns that are internal to the conflict: Is Israel’s stated intention to destroy Hamas feasible; and if so, at what cost? How is it possible that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government
Irregular Warfare at Sea: The Cod Wars and Sea Shepherd
This week’s episode of the Irregular Warfare Podcast features our Maritime Irregular Warfare (IW) Special Project by examining two case studies of IW at sea. Our guests begin by discussing the Cod Wars, which was a protracted maritime conflict between Iceland and the United Kingdom. They then explore how
The Weaponization of Language in Irregular Warfare: Moldova, a Case Study
Three documents released by US President Joe Biden’s administration in 2022 highlight the significance of integrated deterrence: the U.S. National Defense Strategy, Nuclear Posture Review, and Missile Defense Review. Indeed, integrated deterrence reflects the primary way the Department of Defense (DoD) pursues its goal of national defense: with
From Einsatzgruppen to Hamas: A Historical Continuum of Mobile Mass Murder
Even as the latest war between Israel and Hamas approaches its one-month anniversary, the full scale of the atrocities suffered by Israelis living close to the border with the Gaza Strip is still becoming clear: entire families executed in their homes and safe rooms, babies and children slain, women raped,
Understanding Insurgency and Counterinsurgency Through the Lens of Civil War
Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from “Counterinsurgency as order-making: refining the concepts of insurgency and counterinsurgency in light of the Somali Civil War,” published in Small Wars and Insurgencies. Civil war is a complex, messy and intensely political phenomenon whereby established orders are challenged and new ones produced.
Black Swans, Black Jellyfish, and Black Elephants: IWI's Project Maritime Director on Challenges in the Modern Maritime Dimension (Partnered with Marine Corps University Krulak Center's #BruteCast)
What risks do we accept and what opportunities do we miss by not opening our aperture to the maritime environment? What security challenges do we face? As the Marine Corps continues our pivot to the Pacific, how do we need to think about the Sea beyond "It's
Subversion: The Strategic Weaponization of Narratives
This week’s episode of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines how states weaponize strategic narratives to control the information space and achieve their interests. Our guests begin by addressing how recent changes in the information environment have enabled revisionist states to wage information warfare. They then talk about how states
When a CEO Plays President: Musk, Starlink, and the War in Ukraine
Explosive reports from major news outlets in September declared that, last year, tech guru and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk had shut down the Starlink service for the Ukrainian military in Crimea, thwarting Ukraine’s ability to conduct a major counteroffensive against the Russian navy. Following these reports, Musk publicly acknowledged
The Irregular Warfare Implications of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ devastating surprise assault on Israel this past weekend, it is tempting to focus exclusively on the horrific carnage and wanton destruction on both sides of this now only days-old conflict. Beyond the bloodshed and sorrow, however, there are far broader irregular warfare implications that
The Prisoner’s Dilemma: Hostage Diplomacy 101
This week’s episode of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines how states use hostages and hostage diplomacy to achieve their interests. Our guests begin by addressing why states and non-state actors engage in hostage taking, as opposed to relying on other, more traditional instruments of power. They then talk about
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.
