Publications – Irregular Warfare Center

Added on July 29, 2025 Research Studies

Irregular Warfare Center Research Bibliography No.2: Lebanese Hezbollah in Latin America

This subject bibliography is a selection of top resources on Lebanese Hezbollah in Latin America and includes journal articles, reports, books, sections of websites, and videotaped talks. The dates of the material range from 2010 to 2025, encompassing various aspects of the terrorist organization and its criminal activities which include narcotics trafficking and money laundering. The purpose is to provide ready-access resources for the study of Hezbollah and its linkages to allied organizations—both states and non-state actors—in Latin America.

Added on July 21, 2025 Research Studies

Irregular Warfare Center Research Bibliography No.1: Private Military Companies Wagner Group (Africa Corps)

This subject bibliography is a selection of top resources on Wagner Group, and includes journal articles, books, and online discussion groups. The dates of the material range from 2019 to 2025, encompassing Wagner’s origins to its breakup and Russian state replacement strategies. The purpose is to provide ready-access resources for the study of Wagner Group and its successor organization Africa Corps.

Added on July 17, 2025 Insights

Today’s Opium Wars: The Unrestricted Warfare Playbook in the U.S. Illicit Drug Market

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is using illicit drug markets – particularly fentanyl and marijuana – to conduct irregular warfare (IW) against the United States. To counter this action, the United States must not only understand the nature of the threat but also enact a whole of society initiative to increase societal resiliency.

Added on July 14, 2025 Insights

Blueprint to Counter China’s Criminal State Actions: Leveling the Playing Field for Strategic Competition

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is leveraging rogue, unconventional espionage to target U.S. civilian companies and critical infrastructure. By straying from the international norms surrounding espionage, the PRC has gained asymmetric strategic advantage that must be countered. To do so, the United States needs to engage in international action to create a comprehensive response across the range of U.S. and foreign apparatus needed to establish a level playing field in the global arena.

Added on May 20, 2025 Perspectives

The Economy as Battlefield: The 21st Century Sino-American Cold War

The main battle space in the conflict between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the United States is not land, sea, air, space, or even cyberspace. It is the American economy. In this Second Cold War, the principal U.S. combatants do not fire weapons, sail ships, or fly aircraft; they run businesses. Although commonly referred to as the “Second Cold War,” it remains putative and is not officially recognized by the U.S. government.

Added on May 19, 2025 Insights

Critical Minerals, U.S. National Security, and Africa

United States industry and national security supply chains are vulnerable because they are reliant on adversaries for critical materials necessary for advanced technology and high-end weapons systems. However, the Department of Defense (DoD), American industry, and African partners can implement coordinated measures to reduce these deficiencies.

Added on May 12, 2025 Perspectives

Future Challenges to Cognitive Superiority

Cognitive Warfare can be functionally defined as “the activities conducted in synchronization with other instruments of power, to affect attitudes and behaviors by influencing, protecting, and/or disrupting individual and group cognitions to gain an advantage.” From the point of view of technique, we can say that “Cognitive Warfare is therefore the art of deceiving the brain or making it doubt what it thinks it knows.” Deception is no less than an attack on cognitive abilities. In discussions of Cognitive Warfare, emotions are often described as limitations to cognitive abilities that must be overcome.

Added on May 9, 2025 Reference Material

What is Irregular Warfare? One-Pager

This one-page quick reference consolidates foundational definitions and associated terms for irregular warfare, distilling their common themes—like influence, indirect approaches, and asymmetry—and listing key activities from information operations to civil-military engagement. It’s designed as a quick reference guide for our operational partners to align on the core concepts and terminology of irregular warfare. [ Download the IW Quick Reference (PDF […]

Added on March 26, 2025 Research Studies

Africa Conceptualization of IW Study

This study is the third in a series of volumes in which the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) explores the commonalities and differences of the conceptualization of irregular warfare across U.S. allied and partner stakeholders in regions important for U.S. national security. This volume focuses on the African region and is based on surveys and semi-structured interviews with five defense thought leaders drawn from across the continent.

Added on January 28, 2025 Insights

The Emerging Potential for Quantum Computing in Irregular Warfare

Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in computational technology, poised to revolutionize industries including national security and defense. While the abilities of quantum computing still remain largely theoretical, significant progress is being made. Notably, experiments from companies like Google and IBM have demonstrated early examples of quantum supremacy, where quantum computers outperform classical systems on specific tasks. These breakthroughs suggest that quantum computing is not only on the horizon but is considered an inevitable advancement that stakeholders should prepare for now.