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1 Political discourse

The term is inherently political and is difficult to use without taking a political position . When used by an authority under threat, insurgent implies an illegitimacy of cause upon those rising up. Whereas those rising up will see the authority itself as being illegitimate. In cases of rebellions, it refers to those who are not part of the decision-making entity that has the ability to make laws. For example, "the congress has the authority to pass laws to stop the insurgency" vs "the police have the power to arrest insurgents". Insurgents do not respect the established authority.

2 Mass media

In current use an insurgent is distinct from a terrorist as in "under threat from insurgents and terrorists". Insurgent has come into popular use during 2003 through its use by western politicians and mainstream media to describe those in resistance to the coalition in Iraq; As of 2004, the term is used to signify those that are in rebellion against the Iraq interim government. See Iraqi resistance for more on the Iraqi insurgents.

3 See also

• Rebel -- person active in rebellion, such as members of paramilitary forces.
• Freedom fighter -- those engaged in rebellion against an established government.

• Members of popular uprisings:
  • subversives (intent to overthrow or undermine an established government),
  • insurrectionists (armed rebels against the constituted authority),
  • mutineerMutiny is the crime of conspiring to disobey orders that the mutineer is legally obliged to obey, for example by crew members of a ship. The Royal Navy's Articles of War have changed slightly over the centuries they have been in force, but the 1757 versios (rebels that refuse to obey authorities),
  • guerillas (small combat groups),
  • irregularPolitical movements A militia is a group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service. The word can have four slightly different meanings: an official reserve army composed of non-professional soldiers; the police in Russia or East European counts (group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service),
  • militantThe word militant can refer to any individual engaged in warfare, a fight, combat, or generally serving as a soldier. Journalists often use militant as a purportedly neutral term for violent actors who do not belong to an established military. Typically,s (violent actors who do not belong to an established military).