Description
In the earlier 2000’s, it appeared to have been a truism among most analysts that the basic rule for success as a terrorist or armed group was to shift from ‘old’ hierarchical structures to a network structure. At the same time, however, groups based on a purely network structure faced one critical problem. This was to translate short term into a larger and longer-term strategic outcome. In more recent years, however, armed groups increasingly have displayed a more formalized hierarchical structure. This conversion has resulted in much greater strategic success, with a an admixture of networks and hierarchies likely providing the greatest challenge to restoring security in threatened areas. New models likely will be critical in developing effective responses to these armed groups.