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.
Local Partners Are Not Proxies: The Case for Rethinking Proxy War
Despite being a scholar of “proxy wars” in Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq, I rarely use the term. Here’s why. Work on security partnerships is expanding in response to a shifting US defense posture emphasizing the benefits of working “by, with, and through” allies and partners. This research is essential,
Campaigning Through (Security) Cooperation: A Roadmap for Implementing the National Defense Strategy in Lower Priority Theaters
“As we face complex challenges that span across borders, our success will depend on how closely we work with our friends around the world to secure our common interests and promote our shared values.” – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III, Message to the Force, March 2021 Campaigning through cooperation is
Putin’s Mobilization of Masculinity in the Invasion of Ukraine—and the Role of Ukrainian Women in Stopping Him
Her statue watching over Kyiv’s Saint Michael’s Square, Saint Olga has played an important role in inspiring the defenders who have protected Ukraine since Russia’s invasion a year ago. In the 10th century, Olga avenged the killing of her husband Igor of Kyiv at the hands of
Beyond Reapers and DJI Mavics: Are Scholars and Policymakers Ready for One-Way Attack Drones?
On March 23rd an Iranian-made one-way attack (OWA) drone struck a US-led coalition base in Syria, killing a US contractor and injuring five US servicemembers and another US contractor. It was not the first time an OWA had been used in this way. On January 20th three
Custer’s Last Tweet: Avoiding a Digital Little Bighorn in the Fight for Hearts and Minds
Jayson Warren, Darren Linvill, and Patrick Warren On the afternoon of June 25, 1876, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led five companies of the Seventh Cavalry into the valley of the Little Bighorn River, intent on pacifying the Lakota and Sioux encamped there. A veteran of previous campaigns against the
Forces of Destabilization: Countering Wagner Group in the Sahel
This piece was selected as a finalist in the undergraduate category of an essay contest co-sponsored by IWI and the Joint Staff J7 Office of Irregular Warfare and Competition (OIWC). Due to the nature of the contest, this piece is published with only minimal inputs from our editorial team.
The Enduring Importance of Tactical Counterterrorism for Strategic Competition
This piece was selected as a finalist in an essay contest co-sponsored by IWI and the Joint Staff J7 Office of Irregular Warfare and Competition (OIWC). The views expressed do not represent the position of IWI or the US Government, including the Joint Staff J7 OIWC. In directing a
Strengthening the Medical Sphere of Influence Through Guerilla Trauma Systems and Covert Medical Intelligence Networks
Mason H. Remondelli This piece was selected as a finalist in an essay contest co-sponsored by IWI and the Joint Staff J7 Office of Irregular Warfare and Competition (OIWC). Due to the nature of the contest, this piece is published with only minimal inputs from our editorial team. The
Over-the-Horizon and Under the Threshold: Bringing Unconventional Warfare to Ukraine
Hannah Lamb This piece was selected as a winner in the undergraduate category of an essay contest co-sponsored by IWI and the Joint Staff J7 Office of Irregular Warfare and Competition (OIWC). Due to the nature of the contest, this piece is published with only minimal inputs from our
Innovative Thinking on the Role of Irregular Warfare in Strategic Competition: Key Insights from the Irregular Warfare Initiative and Joint Staff J7 Office of Irregular Warfare Essay Contest
Lisa McKinnon Munde Editor’s note: Many thanks to our judging panel including Rich Tilley, Lauren Lyons, Amy Frumin, Katherine Muther Gilmore, David “Mojo” Garten, Chris Booth, Kyle Atwell, Amber Oliva, Catrina Doxsee, Kevin Bilms, and Lisa Munde. The Irregular Warfare Initiative and the Joint Staff J7 Office of Irregular
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.