Articles
Our articles cut through the noise on irregular warfare to connect strategic theory to operational reality and translate complexity into insight for practitioners and policymakers. No time to read? Check out our podcast, "Insider: Short of War," which transforms our articles into concise, engaging audio pieces you can listen to anywhere. Available directly in most of our articles and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms.
The Age of Decentralized Information Warfare is Here
Since February 2022, Russia has focused its war effort across numerous fronts, one of which is informational warfare. Throughout the past two years, Russia has found success in spreading disinformation to undermine support for Ukraine in the West. The information battlefield is equally as important as the physical battlefield, as
Solar Diplomacy: The Role of Renewable Energy in Great Power Competition
The United States, in its quest to counter Russia and China, neglects Central Asia’s key geopolitical advantage by focusing resources on Europe and the Asia-Pacific. Within Central Asia, the United States has the opportunity to actively encourage private sector investment in the region’s promising renewable energy industries
The Wagner Group’s Use of Chinese Space Intelligence
Editor’s note: This article is part of Project Air & Space Power, which explores and advocates for the totality of air, aviation, and space power in irregular, hybrid, and gray-zone environments. We invite you to contribute to the discussion, explore the difficult questions, and help influence the future
Money Talks and Hunger Walks: Buying Down State-Actor Influence Risk
Editor’s note: This article is part of Project Cyber, which explores and characterizes the myriad threats facing the United States and its allies in cyberspace, the information environment, and conventional and irregular spaces. Please contact us if you would like to propose an article, podcast, or event environment. We
The Day After Nasrallah: Succession and Strategic Opportunities
On October 15, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released an interrogation video of the first captured Hezbollah militant since the beginning of Israel’s ground incursion in southern Lebanon. Wadah Younis, who was found hiding in a tunnel, describes a demoralized movement mired in fear and internal chaos. Starting with
Beyond Binaries: Cyber Force Generation and the SOCOM-like Model
This article is part of Project Cyber, which explores and characterizes the myriad threats facing the United States and its allies in cyberspace, the information environment, and conventional and irregular spaces. Please contact us if you would like to propose an article, podcast, or event environment. We invite you to
“I Want to Live”: Psychological Warfare for the Modern Era
In the evening of August 6, 2024, the smartphones of Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast lit up with messages decrying “the flames of war unleashed by Putin” that “have spread to the Kursk region” and the “senseless bloodbath in Ukraine.” They called on Russian troops to “extinguish this fire” by
Israel, Hezbollah, and Arab Hostility
Israel is conducting extensive attacks against Lebanon—for the sixth time in their shared history—after months of a military back-and-forth with the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah. In late September, Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Hasan Nasrallah, as part of a systematic offensive against dozens of
Ukraine's Railway Wars: How to Sabotage Russian Military Logistics
Editor’s Note: This article is a part of Project SOF in Competition. The project explores the intersection among irregular warfare, SOF, and broader national security challenges. We invite your participation and engagement as we embark on this project. If you would like to contribute to the Special Project, please
Bridging the Gap: Why Conventional Forces Need Irregular Warfare Training
The Army is undergoing a major transition as it refocuses toward its pacing threat and modernizes for Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) against a near-peer adversary. In preparing for this future possibility, it should not forget the lessons of the past 20 years nor fall into the post-Vietnam
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.