The Perils of Misconception: Why U.S. Strategy Misjudges the Nature of Proxy Resistance
Published on 3/20/2026
Digital Only
The U.S., in its efforts to leverage resistance movements, has often misunderstood or oversimplified the intrinsic who (actors and their motivations), the why (their objectives), and the how (direct vs. indirect approach mindsets). This gap in understanding leads to SOF unconventional warfare campaigns that, despite tactical proficiency, frequently become misaligned with long-term U.S. strategic interests, sometimes producing counterproductive results.
This occasional paper examines the gap between current doctrine and the messy reality of organic resistance to help explain why these misalignments persist.
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Topics
Great Power Competition
Insurgency
IW/UW
SOF History
Strategic Competition
Resilience and Resistance