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.
A New Vision for Special Forces
Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part article assessing the past, present, and future of U.S. Army Special Forces. See part one here. The Green Beret's greatest legacy was never the beret. It was the audacity to imagine something that did not exist.
The Last A-Team: Special Forces Aren't Special Anymore
Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part article assessing the past, present, and future of U.S. Army Special Forces. The operating environment has evolved faster than the United States Army Special Forces. Green Berets did not fail at their assigned missions; they failed to sufficiently
From Coal to Code to Reactors: How Wyoming’s State and Local Decisions Shape Irregular Warfare
For much of the twentieth century, Wyoming powered the United States by extracting coal and sending it elsewhere. From the postwar boom through the early 2000s, trains left the Powder River Basin loaded with fuel that kept distant lights on, factories running, and bases operational. Wyoming’s contribution to national
Mercenaries, Private Security, and the Civilian Cost of Outsourced Coercion
While states still use military force in pursuit of national interests, private military and security companies (PMSCs) have become an increasingly common instrument, enabling states to apply pressure, manage escalation, and maintain deniability in ways that conventional deployments cannot. As resistance to foreign troop deployments grows and strategic competition shifts
Neutrality as Vulnerability: Russia’s Hybrid Playbook in Moldova
Moldova’s September elections reaffirmed its pro-EU course, but continued and increased Russian hybrid and military pressure make constitutional neutrality untenable. Russia’s continued “peacekeeping” presence within the internationally recognized Moldovan territory of Transnistria is a daily direct violation of its constitutional neutrality clause. Expressly stated in Article 11,
Credibility vs. Speed: Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Information War
Editor’s Note: this article is being republished with the permission of Small Wars Journal as part of a republishing arrangement between IWI and SWJ. The original article was published on 03.20.2026 and is available here. The Gaza conflict underscores a central fact of modern war. The Decisive
Q&A with Robert D. Kaplan
Editor’s Note: This article is presented in a question-and-answer format, with the Irregular Warfare Initiative’s Maritime Program (facilitated by Christopher Booth) interviewing Robert D. Kaplan. This piece has been edited for clarity and readability, as spoken language differs from how text is read on the page.
Chinese Eyes, Iranian Missiles: Intelligence Cooperation in the US/Israel–Iran War 2026
Editor’s Note: this article is being republished with the permission of Small Wars Journal as part of a republishing arrangement between IWI and SWJ. The original article was published on 03.20.2026 and is available here. The 2026 war between the United States, Israel, and Iran represents one
Economic Warfare Reimagined: Insurance as a Tool of U.S. Strategic Influence
The U.S. is losing the war on sentiment in the Global South, where the world’s most economically vulnerable countries rely on larger powers for economic support and security. Russia and China have capitalized on this dynamic by seizing the economic initiative in this region, often at the expense
Conflict Has Memory: Why Local Wars Follow Distinct Trajectories
A map can tell you where a conflict is happening today, but it is blind to where that war has been - and where it is stubbornly determined to go. Analysts and planners assess geopolitical fault lines, patterns of violence, human factors, and threat networks to understand the dynamics of irregular
Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.
