ABSTRACT
Most wars of the past 30 years have been intra-state, albeit with varying amounts of outside interference. Many states find themselves wandering a strategic wilderness, neither winning on the battle-field nor resolving the conflict at the negotiating table. There are several permutations of fighting and talking with armed groups. Armed groups featured even in some of these wars, and one gave birth to a nasty insurgency. A canny armed group will do what it can to blunt the impact of a government’s use of military force. It might hide among the populace or base itself in inaccessible terrain. Security forces may struggle to target the group and may never be able to corner it. In conflicts where military victory has been elusive, states may explore the possibility of negotiations – albeit in conjunction with security measures. Some armed-group foes are so implacable that there is no basis for a negotiated solution.
