Warfare in which one or more combatants are irregular military rather than regular forces
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Irregular warfare (IW) is defined in United States joint doctrine as "a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant populations."[1] In practice, control of institutions and infrastructure is also important. Concepts associated with irregular warfare are older than the term itself.[2]
Irregular warfare favors indirect warfare and asymmetric warfare approaches, though it may employ the full range of military and other capabilities in order to erode the adversary's power, influence, and will. It is inherently a protracted struggle that will test the resolve of a state and its strategic partners.[3][4][5][6][7]
The term "irregular warfare" was settled upon in distinction from "traditional warfare" and "unconventional warfare", and to differentiate it as such; it is unrelated to the distinction between "regular" and "irregular forces".[8]
^Pelleriti, John A.; Maloney, Michael; Cox, David C.; Sullivan, Heather J.; Piskura, J. Eric; Hawkins, Montigo J. (2019). "The Insufficiency of U.S. Irregular Warfare Doctrine" (PDF). Joint Force Quarterly. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2022.
^Gates, John M. "The U.S. Army and Irregular Warfare". College of Wooster. Archived from the original on 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
^"Irregular Warfare (IW) Joint Operating Concept (JOC)", Version 1.0, United States Department of Defense, 27 February 2009 [1]
^"US Irregular Warfare (IW) Analysis Workshop", Military Operations Research Society (MORS), 11 September 2007 [2] Archived 2008-09-03 at the Wayback Machine
^"Irregular Warfare (IW)", DoD Directive 3000.07, United States Department of Defense, 1 December 2008 [3]
^"Quadrennial Roles & Missions (QRM) Review Report", United States Department of Defense, January 2009 [4]
^"Irregular Warfare", Doctrine Document 2-3, United States Air Force, 1 August 2007 [5]
^Larson, Eric V.; Eaton, Derek; Nichiporuk, Brian; Szayna, Thomas S. (2008). "Defining Irregular Warfare". Assessing Irregular Warfare. RAND Corporation. pp. 7–18. ISBN 9780833043221. JSTOR 10.7249/mg668a.10.
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