Discussions on theories of modern irregular warfare are currently debated. There are two different sides in the debate, one side argues on behalf of theories from the era of Golden Age of Counterinsurgency, which have traceability in modern doctrines. The other side argues against these theories. One of the main arguments from the critics is that the context of modern warfare has made the older theories inoperable. One influential theorist from the Golden Age of Counterinsurgenccy era is Frank Kitson. He based his theory on lessons from conflicts like Malaya, Cyprus and Kenya. The aim of this thesis is to test the relevance of Kitsons theory in modern irregular conflicts.
The method used in this thesis is a comparative case study, where the theory is tested on modern operations using a qualitative approach. The cases comes from the Iraqi war and the two major operations in Fallujah 2004. The first case is Operation Vigilant Resolve and the second Operation Al-Fajr, two modern urban operations in an irregular context.
The result of this study shows that Kitsons theory has some relevance in modern conflicts. Principles like coordinated efforts between political, economic and security measures, the need to win the support of the population and the legitimacy of the operation are important factors when conducting irregular warfare operations.