The Irregular Warfare Initiative published an article by S. M. Burge on February 12, 2026, at approximately 4:45 AM UTC, analyzing Colombia as a case study in legitimacy, naming, and irregular warfare. The piece examines how information and influence operations evolve across insurgency, negotiation, and post-conflict phases, according to a post from @IrregWarfare on X. Burge's article highlights language as an operational tool in irregular warfare, explaining that government classifications of armed actors—such as insurgents, political participants, or criminal networks—shape legitimacy, policy options, and political settlements' credibility. The post states the article provides a central insight for practitioners and policymakers. The Colombia experience underscores the need for institutional memory and influence capabilities throughout the conflict spectrum, before, during, and after formal war, as the United States refocuses on great power competition. The source links to the full article at https://irregularwarfare.org/sof-in-competition/the-columbia-case-study-legitimacy-naming-and-irregular-warfare/. The publication uses hashtags including #IrregularWarfare, #InfluenceOperations, #Colombia, #SecurityStudies, #GreatPowerCompetition, and #RuleOfLaw in the X post.
