Fighting Networks: The Defining Challenge of Irregular Warfare
Abstract
The primary purpose of this study is to examine the role of networks in irregular warfare. Regardless of its many forms, the most salient aspect of modern irregular warfare is the increasingly networked nature of the antagonists. Countering these opponents requires a detailed understanding of their organization, doctrine, methods, and information usage. This research generated a theoretical framework that draws on the rich bodies of knowledge that inform network theory, network-based operations, irregular warfare, organization theory, and information strategy. Each of these theoretical areas provided hypotheses for identifying causal factors in how networks fight, and for developing a systematic framework for countering them. Comparative case studies focus on three networks engaged in irregular warfare: the Chechen separatists, Lebanese Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Overall, the thesis attempts to provide a systematic understanding of how to counter networked opponents.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA547825
Entities
People
- Arleigh W. Dean
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School