How the group defines "winning" and combat.
In their book, Richard H. Shultz Jr. and Andrea J. Dew argue that modern warfare has shifted away from traditional state-on-state conflict toward a brutal, asymmetrical landscape dominated by non-state actors. Key Themes & Framework
Understanding decentralized or tribal leadership structures. Insurgents, Terrorists, and Militias: The Warri...
The authors contend that Western military planning often fails because it focuses on measurable statistics—like enemy manpower and equipment—while ignoring the that actually drives these groups. To bridge this gap, they propose a six-part analytical framework to evaluate unconventional threats:
Analyzing the use of hit-and-run raids, ambushes, and sniper attacks. How the group defines "winning" and combat
How they use specific terrain, such as mountains or urban centers, to their advantage.
Shultz and Dew apply this framework to four specific "hotbeds of instability" to show how tribal and clan dynamics shape combat: and Andrea J
The role of outside state or non-state actors (like al-Qaeda) in sustaining the group. Case Studies