OPERATIONS AGAINST IRREGULAR ADVERSARY

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OPERATIONS AGAINST IRREGULAR ADVERSARY
30 sept 2009
Colonel Jean-Philippe BERNARD Assistant
Director Joint Centre for Concepts, Doctrine and
Experimentations FRANCE
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Irregular adversary
Which characteristics? What can we do against him
?
CAEM / 17 avril 2008
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IRAD IRregular ADversary

• Not under state control actor (political
  characterization)?
• Twin asymmetry
• legal status
• rationality
• Armed violence against populations,
  security forces

Colin Gray Irregular warfare is warfare
between regular and irregular combatants.
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FRAMEWORK of ENGAGEMENT
OR
International public opinion
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Destruction cannot be the goal
Erode
Reduce
Diminish
Influence
Will
Power
IRAD
Using military and non military instruments of
power
Non physical domains lt Effects gt Physical
domains
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Hiding Lack of understanding
Internal characteristics
Existential cause
Logistic dependence
IRAD
Unconstrained methods
Tactical / strategic effects
Avoidance wearing down
Characteristics of confrontation
Uncertainity sudden strikes
History Culture
Ubiquity dilution opportunism pragmatism
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Keys for success
Identify, distinguish
local, régional
Understand, anticipate
Material
IRAD
Adopt a realistic And coherent manoeuvre
Immaterial
national, international
Contain, modulate, compromise
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Break strategy rather than potential
Internal counter-manoeuvre
IRAD

• credibility / legitimacy
• security of population
• capabilities warfare needs

Build an area of influence intended for local
population
Win the battle of narative
Contain IRAD within a wider regional approach
External counter-manœuvre
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Future Challenges

• Is  Irregular  the new  Regular  ?
• Reviewed way of thinking for armed forces
• High complexity of Coalition context
• Intelligence
• Primacy of Influence Activity
• Activities in Cyberspace
• Definition of political objectives and criteria
  for success
• Clear strategic Engagement Reconciliation

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To conclude ...

• Understand IRAD conceptual thinking
• Friend neutral enemy,
  enemy today, neutral tomorrow.
• Military options in an integrated response
• Utility of force in order to be able to
  negotiate with favourable conditions

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CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS AGAINST IRREGULAR
ADVERSARY
Joint publication n00-180 / 22 may 2008