The anatomy of victory in irregular warfare: a multidimensional framework for command

Abstract

Defining victory in contemporary irregular warfare is an elusive strategic problem, as traditional metrics based on battlefield outcomes are insufficient in conflicts characterized by ambiguity, asymmetry, and the centrality of the information environment. To address this analytical gap, this article proposes and applies a new multidimensional framework : the model of victory, which posits that success is a function of five interconnected variables: achievement of political aims, degradation of adversary capabilities, internal and external legitimacy, post-conflict sustainability, and narrative resilience. Applying this model to the prolonged internal war in Colombia as well as the hybrid conflict between India and Pakistan, the analysis demonstrates that shaping the narrative often acts as the central variable, enabling actors to manage the conflict and claim victory, regardless of material outcomes. The article further argues that the centrality of narrative creates new paradoxes for command related to transparency, the use of kinetic force, and the fulfillment of political mandates. The framework ultimately provides a more holistic tool for scholars and practitioners to analyze the complex anatomy of victory in the information age.