Hybrid Warfare Reflects Convergence of Terrorism and Great Power Competition

(The Soufan Center) Russia and Iran have increasingly utilized disposable non-state actors in attacks across Europe to pursue their broader state objectives while outsourcing terrorist-style activity to criminal networks and disposable agents. Iranian- or Russian-backed attacks across Europe carried out by disposable agents allow these states to compete in the international system through non-state tactics, using terrorism, criminality, and plausible deniability as tools of great power competition. The increased use of encrypted messaging platforms, social media, virtual currencies, and AI has begun to create new ways for hostile states to reach individuals living inside an adversary’s territory without relying on traditional intelligence infrastructure. If Iran, Russia, or another state such as China were to focus more heavily on exporting this disposable agent model to the U.S., it would no doubt achieve some success for the same reasons its deniability and decentralized nature have challenged European governments. – Hybrid Warfare Reflects Convergence of Terrorism and Great Power Competition – The Soufan Center