Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the United States has conducted a new type of war. This war is taking place all across the globe, but most importantly it is being fought in the coffee shops, mosques, and living rooms of Muslims. The war is not going to be won in the physical realm, in which most of America's war fighters are comfortable. The strategic corporal/strategic captain concept is not longer a cliche; it is a reality. The saying demonstrates how actions at the tactical level of war impact the operational and strategic levels of war. Today's wars are complex and require innovation and an understanding of how tactical actions have strategic consequences. Commanders at the tactical level must be able to apply all the elements of national power to effectively target the conditions that foster and perpetuate an insurgency. In an insurgency, there is a segment of the population that provides various degrees of support to the insurgents. If not outright support in the form of money, safe harbor, and a sympathetic blind eye, this segment of the population may simply tolerate the existence and activity of the insurgent. Influence over this group of fence sitters, often described as the target audience (TA), must be the primary objective of all military operations to include information operations, civilian-military operations, government support operations, and security operations. Based on emerging threats, the United States is in danger of finding itself the only one who still fights a 'regular' war. Because of the nature of future wars, the ability of the tactical commander to fight beyond the physical realm will determine success. The tactical commander's ability to employ nontraditional methods will be the difference between operational success or never-ending insurgency.


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