Repacking Pandora’s Box: Managing the Dangers of Weapons Proliferation in Postconflict Ukraine
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. In the understandable rush to equip Ukraine to defend its sovereignty, the West has flooded the region with all manner of highly destructive and portable weapons. Powerful antitank guided missiles like
Data As A Weapon: Psychological Operations In The Age Of Irregular Information Threats
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is arguably the first war to be documented and fought on social media. At the beginning of the war, Ukraine seized the initiative in the information
Don’t Underestimate the Bear—Russia Is One of the World’s Most Effective Modern Counterinsurgents
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. The Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds on. So far, Ukrainian conventional forces and resistance groups have mounted a stiff defense against Russia’s numerically superior forces. The Ukrainian people, meanwhile, have
(Don't Fear) Irregular Warfare: Getting IW Right In The Upcoming National Defense Strategy
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. In the classic Saturday Night Live sketch “More Cowbell,” legendary music producer Bruce Dickinson (played by Christopher Walken) takes on production of the classic rock band Blue Öyster Cult. In the
How the National Guard Can Help Counter Chinese Influence
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan inflicted widespread physical devastation across the Caribbean. In the storm’s aftermath, China quietly began to establish a foothold in the region, making offers that some countries
How to Fix the Joint Combined Exchange Training Program
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. At precisely 2:30 a.m., a combined team of hackers from the United States and one of its partner nations launched a denial-of-service attack against the adversary’s
Anytime, Anyplace: Air Force Special Operations Command in Future Irregular Warfare
Irregular warfare is executed across all domains and when operations require air support, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) stands ready to provide specialized skill sets to IW practitioners. As irregular warfare faces an uncertain future, so does AFSOC and its air commandos. The command stands at an inflection point
Guerrillas, Revolutionaries, Insurgents, And Militias And Mafiosi: The Grim Threats Of Irregular Strategy
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. As Western policymakers and researchers reflect upon the lessons of two decades of the Global War on Terrorism, they should assess the ways in which the terminology used to frame and
Beyond War and Peace: The PLA’s “Non-War Military Activities” Concept
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. In 2021, researchers revealed hundreds of new missile silos in the deserts of western China. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) also tested a new hypersonic glide missile that encircled
There’s a Race for Arctic-Capable Drones Going On, and the United States is Losing
This Irregular Warfare Initiative article was originally posted through our partner organization, the Modern War Institute at West Point. Right now, the unmanned aerial system is the IED of the next ten to twenty years. — General James McConville, Chief Staff of the Army, July 31, 2021, on the Irregular Warfare
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.
