The Low-Intensity Conflict Environment of the 1990s

The term "low-intensity conflict" (LIC) first appeared in the lexicon of the U. S. national security community in the latter half of the 1970s. During the 1980s, the Reagan administration and the Congress undertook several initiatives to prepare the United States to respond to various LIC challenges. Following a brief commentary on these developments, the author addresses three interrelated subjects. First, the conceptual debate surrounding LIC and its relationship to the American approach to strategy is examined. Second, the primary kinds of LIC that will occur in the 1990s are described. Finally, the implications and requirements for U. S. national security policy are outlined.