UW Flashcards
Define Unconventional Warfare
Activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt or overthrow an occupying power or government by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary and guerrilla force in a denied area.
Define Insurgency
An organized movement aimed at the overthrow of a constituted government or occupying power through the use of subversion and armed conflict.
General War Scenario (for UW): [UW as a Shaping Operation]
- Armed conflict between major powers in which the total resources of the belligerents are employed, and the national survival of a major belligerent is in jeopardy.
- psychological preparation of the population for the introduction of conventional forces. deception and other measures can convince enemy leaders to divert resources away from the main area of effort disrupt or degrade enemy military capabilities in order to make them more vulnerable to the pending introduction of conventional invasion forces.
Limited War Scenario (for UW): [UW as a Strategic Option]
Limited War: Armed conflict just short of general war, exclusive of incidents involving the overt engagement of the military forces of two or more nations.
- 1-42. During limited-involvement missions, the overall operation takes place in the absence of overt or eventual hostilities from the sponsor. Such operations take on a strategic and sensitive political aspect. Typically, the United States limits its direct involvement, which mitigates the risks of unintended consequences or premature escalation of the conflict. During limited-involvement operations, the manner in which forces operate significantly differs from that of large-scale involvement scenarios. Without the benefit of a conventional invasion force, the resistance forces must limit overt exposure of their forces and supporting infrastructure in order to sustain operations over a protracted period. Forces must conduct operations in a manner that accounts for the enemy’s response and retaliation.
Define Resistance movement
An organized movement by some portion of the population to resist the government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability.
Define Guerrilla Warfare
Military and paramilitary operations conducted in enemy-held or hostile territory by irregular, predominantly indigenous forces.
Define Subversion
Action designed to undermine the military, economic, psychological, or political strength or the morale of a regime/government.
Define Area Command (Additional Element of an Insurgency): [Usually denotes USSOF involvement]
A command which is composed of those organized elements of one or more of the Armed Services, designated to operate in a specific geographical area, which are placed under a single commander. In unconventional warfare, the organizational structure established within an unconventional warfare operational area to command and control irregular forces. It consists of the area commander, his staff, representatives of the irregular organization, and ARSOF elements after infiltration.
Define Area Complex
An area complex is a clandestine, dispersed network of facilities to support resistance activities in a given area. The area complex is contested territory or an area that contains clandestine supporting infrastructure. It is not liberated territory. It represents the insurgent’s area of operations (AO). Insurgent forces can maintain their clandestine infrastructure in the area complex. The clandestine infrastructure provides insurgent forces with a measure of freedom of movement and support. These areas overlay areas under the control of the government or occupying military. These areas can eventually transform into liberated areas if the enemy’s ability to challenge the insurgent forces degrades to a level of parity with the guerrilla forces. To support resistance activities, an area complex must include a security system, guerrilla bases, communications, logistics, medical facilities, and a series of networks capable of moving personnel and supplies.
What is a Government in Exile (Additional Element of an Insurgency)
A government-in-exile does not exist in every situation. A government-in-exile is normally present
only in situations in which an element displaces a government from its country but the government remains recognized as the legitimate sovereign authority. Whether a government-in-exile does or does not exist, the insurgency will usually still report to some form of a shadow government in-country.
What is a Shadow Government (Additional Element of an Insurgency)
The shadow government is an organization the underground forms in occupied territory. Ideally, the shadow government can perform normal governmental functions in a clandestine manner and synchronize those functions with the resistance movement. The shadow government is critical because it exercises a degree of control, supervision, and accountability over the population at all levels (district, village, city, province, and so on), and further discredits and delegitimizes the existing government.
Define the Underground (Component of an Insurgency):
A covert unconventional warfare organization established to operate in areas denied to the guerrilla forces or conduct operations not suitable for guerrilla forces.
- 2-33. The underground is a cellular organization within the resistance movement or insurgency that has the ability to conduct operations in areas that are inaccessible to guerrillas, such as urban areas under the control of the local security forces. The underground can function in these areas because it operates in a clandestine manner, which prevents it from receiving legal belligerent status under any international conventions. Examples of underground functions include the following:
- Intelligence and counterintelligence networks. (INTELLIGENCE CELL)
- Subversive radio stations.
- Propaganda networks that control newspaper or leaflet print shops and/or Web pages.
- Special material fabrication, such as false identification, explosives, weapons, and munitions.
- Control of networks for moving personnel and logistics.
- Individuals or groups that conduct acts of sabotage in urban centers (OPERATIONAL CELL)
- Clandestine medical facilities.
2-34. Underground members normally are active members of the community, and their service is a product
of their normal life or position within the community. They operate by maintaining compartmentalization
and delegating most risk to their auxiliary workers. The functions of the underground largely enable the
resistance movement to affect the urban areas.
What is the he Auxiliary (Component of an Insurgency)
The support element of the irregular organization whose organization and operations are clandestine in nature and whose members do not openly indicate their sympathy or involvement with the irregular movement.
- 2-36. The auxiliary refers to that portion of the population that provides active clandestine support to the
guerrilla force or the underground. Members of the auxiliary are part-time volunteers that have value because of their normal position in the community. Soldiers should not think of the auxiliary as a separate organization but as a different type of individual providing specific functions as a component within an urban underground network or guerrilla force’s network. These functions can take the form of logistics, labor, or intelligence collection. Auxiliary members may not know any more than how to perform their specific function or service that supports the network or component of the organization. In many ways, auxiliary personnel assume the greatest risk. They are also the most expendable element within the insurgency. Insurgent leaders sometimes use auxiliary functions to test a recruit’s loyalty before exposing him to other parts of the organization. Auxiliary functions are like embryonic fluid that forms a protective layer, keeping the underground and guerrilla force alive. Specific functions include the following:
- Logistics procurement (all classes of supply).
- Logistics distribution (all classes of supply).
- Labor for special materiel fabrication.
- Security and early warning for underground facilities and guerrilla bases.
- Intelligence collection.
- Recruitment.
- Communications network staff, such as couriers and messengers.
- Propaganda distribution.
- Safe house management.
- Logistics and personnel transport.
What is Sabotage (Insurgent Technique)
An act or acts with intent to injure, interfere with, or obstruct the national defense of a country by willfully injuring or destroying, or attempting to injure or destroy, any national defense or war material, premises, or utilities, to include human or natural resources.
Legal Concerns of UW (including Geneva Conventions covering USSF):
Authorized and funded under USSOCOM, following Title 10 USC ROE and Law of Land Warfare
- Authorized to conduct UW as a non-international conflict (could result in prosecution under domestic laws) - Best chance for POW status; have a superior responsible for subordinates, distinctive insignia, open carry, LoLW - Civilian Clothing vs. Enemy Uniforms (treachery/ crime)
