We are suffering from a particularly parochial view of conflict.

In Sierra Leone, you had, from an equipment and training point of view, two or groups of insurgents, locked in a long a bloody war, with well equipped SA Mercenaries or UK forces turning up every now and then. It was just as complex than Iraq or Afghanistan. War, Insurgency or Hybrid War?

The nature of the conflict is defined by who is fighting and how they fight. That's it! Why do we seek to make it all way more complicated?

I think WM may be right when he suggests that Hybrid Wars may be a good bumper sticker to nab the USMC more of the budget.