Hank Hanna – Irregular Warfare Center

Added on July 7, 2026 Research Studies

Irregular Warfare Conceptualization of South and Central America

This report arises from a shared belief that irregular warfare (IW) in the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) cannot be fully understood through institutional doctrine alone. For decades, countries in South and Central America have served as strategic partners to the United States. While U.S. doctrine remains the most visible reference point, regional actors have developed their own IW frameworks that are sophisticated, deeply rooted, and often more aligned with their lived experiences.

Added on July 6, 2026 Insights

Ignacio Zaragoza and the Irregular Logic of Resistance

The popular memory of Ignacio Zaragoza is often compressed into a single date: May 5, 1862. In much of the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become a cultural celebration detached from the military and political context that produced it.

Added on June 24, 2026 Perspectives

Beyond Proxy Warfare: The Iraq Model of Institutionalized Irregular Competition

For much of the last two decades, irregular warfare in the Middle East has been viewed primarily through the lens of insurgencies, terrorism, and armed proxy conflicts. Yet Iraq’s evolving political and security landscape suggests that irregular warfare has become far more sophisticated than traditional models assume. The modern battlefield is no longer confined to remote terrain or clandestine militant cells. Increasingly, the most effective form of irregular competition operates from within the very state institutions it once sought to challenge.

Added on June 17, 2026 Perspectives

Following the Money: Allegations of Cross-Border Networks in Northern Syria

In today’s world, financial systems are increasingly relying more on anti-money laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations as part of efforts to stop illicit cash flows. When those safeguards weaken, especially in conflict regions, the consequences can extend far beyond national borders.

Added on June 16, 2026 Perspectives

The Algorithm and the Bomb: How AI Is Reshaping Nuclear Risk Across a Multipolar World

Shortly after midnight on September 26, 1983, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov sat at his console at the Serpukhov-15 command center outside Moscow and watched his early warning system report that the United States had launched five intercontinental ballistic missiles. The screen flashed “launch.” The siren howled. The automated alert registered at the system’s highest confidence level.

Added on June 15, 2026 News

IWC Launches Its First Course on Irregular Warfare Approaches for IW Campaigning

In a move to harden the nation’s skies against evolving global threats, the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) recently collaborated with American Airlines during a high-level strategic security meeting with regional airline partners and specialists, January 15, 2026. The summit shifted the focus from traditional security protocols to the complex realities of irregular warfare (IW), specifically addressing the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and their potential to disrupt domestic aviation and transportation infrastructure.

Added on June 8, 2026 Perspectives

The Human Bombs: The Untold Industrial History of Suicide Bombing

On March 13, 1881, a young man named Ignaty Grinevitsky stood outside the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and watched his accomplice throw a small bomb at the convoy of Tsar Alexander II. The Tsar stepped out of his carriage, unhurt. Grinevitsky rushed forward and dropped a second bomb at Tsar’s feet. Both men died.

Added on June 4, 2026 Perspectives

Drone Warfare’s Next Frontier: Is Pakistan Ready?

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has caught global attention for many reasons. In the domain of warfare however, the emergence of drones as central systems for offsetting technologically advanced adversaries appears to be one of the most consequential takeaways from this conflict.

Added on June 4, 2026 Insights

U.S. Diplomacy Plays Critical Role in Irregular Warfare

Diplomacy in irregular warfare (IW) is not a supporting act; it is one of the main ways the United States competes for power and legitimacy below the threshold of conventional war. That claim matters even more now because the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has shown that contests over legitimacy, sanctions, coalition management, information, logistics, and economic resilience are not ancillary to war; they are central to it.