This comprehensive analysis of the combat in Iraq reveals not one, but three uniquely characterized circles of war: interstate conflict, insurgency, and civil war. As the editors and contributors emphasize, even the most effective strategies in a war as complicated as the three-level conflict in Iraq are intertwined and complementary. The goal of The Three Circles of War is to contribute to a deeper understanding of this war, and modern warfare in general, by examining their shared similarities and distinct characteristics, and determining the ways in which they interact across various areas of endeavor.