This excellent report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. The development of a coherent and effective United States strategy to manage the global low intensity conflict threat is contingent on understanding this complex phenomenon. This, in turn, requires a comprehensive theory of low intensity conflict be crafted by security professionals and scholars.

A general consensus has emerged concerning the definition of low intensity conflict, but a "level-of-analysis problem" currently hinders further theory-building. Most American security professionals and policy makers have taken either a "macro" approach to low intensity conflict which skims key regional differences, or a country-specific "micro" perspective which ignores regional linkages.

A better approach is to divide the world into nine theaters of low intensity conflict, seven regional and two functional. This could contribute to the development of a more comprehensive theory of low intensity conflict as well as providing more immediate benefits such as a greater range of strategic options and organizational clarity.