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Revolution in Our Roots: America’s Founding as a Case Study in Irregular Warfare
One of the things that sets the United States apart on the global stage is its singular independence. In much of the world, particularly across Eastern Europe, independence is a cycle. It is declared, lost, reclaimed, and redefined. Ukraine has at least three independence anniversaries. Georgia celebrates its break from the Russian Empire, the Soviet
Iran’s Global Irregular Warfare Apparatus
Iran prefers operating on the margins, not in the spotlight. Its strategic culture thrives on ambiguity and deniability. Tehran uses proxies, sabotage, cyber tools, and covert action to advance regional ambitions without full-scale war or direct attribution. From Beirut to Berlin, Iran’s irregular warfare network lets it punch above its weight. The regime shapes outcomes
Ghost Unions of Belarus: Civil Resistance in the Shadows
In the authoritarian shadows of Eastern Europe, where public dissent is outlawed and civil society crushed beneath the heel of the state, an invisible form of resistance endures. In Belarus—where mass protests once filled the streets and now silence reigns—resistance movements have shifted not to the hills or forests, but into the very machinery of
From Protest to Resistance: Turkey’s May Day Crackdown and the Erosion of Civic Space
On the morning of May 1, 2025, Istanbul was already bracing for confrontation. By nightfall, more than 400 protesters had been arrested, streets were thick with tear gas, and Turkey’s ruling elite had once again shown its willingness to criminalize dissent. This year’s May Day crackdown was not just an isolated episode of crowd control.
Why Politicized Militaries Like China’s and Russia’s Are Vulnerable to Irregular Warfare
From the outside, authoritarian militaries project order, strength, and cohesion. Flags wave. Ranks shine. Parades thunder with disciplined force. But beneath the surface of tightly controlled structures like China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Russia’s Armed Forces lies a brittle foundation — one that irregular warfare is uniquely suited to exploit. Despite overwhelming firepower and
Irregular, Asymmetric, Hybrid, and Guerrilla Warfare: Sorting the Terms That Shape Modern Conflict
The modern battlefield is no longer confined to tanks, trenches, and clearly drawn front lines. Today’s conflicts merge propaganda with cyber attacks, insurgents with drones, and militias with memes. As this environment evolves, so too does the language we use to describe it. Irregular Asymmetric Hybrid and Guerrilla Warfare are four of the most commonly
Romania’s Militant Democracy Movement: Defending the System, or Undermining It?
In March 2025, Romania’s Constitutional Court upheld a controversial decision to bar far-right candidate Călin Georgescu from running in a rerun of the presidential election. This ruling followed Romania’s top electoral body invalidating the results of the December 2024 election. They cited alleged Russian interference and violations of electoral law that had favored Georgescu. Supporters
Urban Resistance: Tactics for Fighting in Occupied Cities
As 21st-century warfare continues to shift from open terrain to dense population centers, the ability of irregular forces to mount effective urban resistance has become one of the defining dynamics of modern conflict. Whether facing a conventional military occupation or a hybrid incursion, resistance fighters in cities operate with a unique set of tools, advantages,