The Cell Phone/Web Page effect

[marct]

Hi Rob,

Jedburgh - I think its a rotational thing - call it a groundhog shaped bell curve

But just think about all the really cool changes that could be made to pre-deployment training! Nokia would love it -new phone fashions

Reading how easy it is convinces me the bad guys are ahead of us in yet another area

Well, to my mind this just means that it's time for the US to go back to an old tradition of giving some "criminals" the option of going to jail or joining the forces. Think about it....

Judge: Son, you've been found guilty of phone phreakin'. That's a 5 year stretch at Attica. But, since it's your first offense, I'll give you an option...

On another note, I just finished reading your proposal. It's simple, straight forward, workable and to the point. I really think it would work which is why I suspect that it would never get accepted by the military bureaucracy. If you get a run around with getting it implemented, try sending the proposal out to RadioShack.

Marc

[slapout9]

Hi guys, well the company has left and things are starting to quite down some so I have been catching up on the posts. I had to sneak down every once in a while to see what was going on, read a bunch of posts real quick and then had to do some thinking. So here are a few items in know particular order.

1-Rob, you are dead on about cell phones being a status symbol, just look at the after market in the US with the custom covers and holders and everything else they have. But it is deeper than that, you made a comment earlier about US showing up with a digital camera and IF showing up with video cell phones. That says volumes to me. Seems like everything the US is doing is about "analyzing" information, while everything the enemy is doing is about "sharing" information! This is why identifying the network or tribe is so important. Everything they do is about the group and sharing so they have a vast and fast capability to mobilize for or against something. That is a formidable capability.

2-The easiest way to influence someone is through their emotions and one of the easiest ways to do that is with pictures. It is that worth a thousand words thing. The US is left brain obsessed get the statistics and analyze, slow and methodical. Meanwhile the enemy acts like your analogy of a video spreading like a virus. And just as deadly. It is almost like a "video operations order" that spread like a virus and leads to what appear to be random attacks but are not. The targets may be random but the guiding idea or strategy is anything but.

3-Bill, yep we are behind and have been but their are a lot folks that don't see that or agree with it. The US can be arrogant by thinking we know everything all the time and it gets us into trouble.

4-Dr. Marc, I don't know if the military does such as you mentioned but LE has been doing it for a while often in the form plea bargains. Tell us Who does What and How he does it and you walk or get a reduced sentence. There have been some fumbles but it usually works very well. Little fish traded for big fish. Later guys.

[slapout9]

I knew about this some years ago know it is on, well go to the link.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FaIEJSYwIs

[jcustis]

CNN has a video on its main page time now (2 Jan 07) showing how execution video is getting around Iraq, and Bluetooth equipeed cellphones were shown playing the grainy footage.

[Bill Moore]

This cell phone video, along with the widely published digital images of Abu Ghrab, and other rapidly disseminated key photographs show the power that the average citizen, soldier, etc. has to shape world opinion, almost overnight.

I think even Churchill would have been challenged in this IO environment.

[marct]

Hi Bill,

This cell phone video, along with the widely published digital images of Abu Ghrab, and other rapidly disseminated key photographs show the power that the average citizen, soldier, etc. has to shape world opinion, almost overnight.

Too true - too bad we aren't using it

I think even Churchill would have been challenged in this IO environment.

Nah... He would have just conscripted a bunch of teenagers to act as his IO experts

Marc

[CPT Holzbach]

Great thread. Rob, your post with all the little TTPs and commonsense made me wanna re-activate myself (although the House of Acronyms is really kicking my ass and Ive only been out since August.)

-never give a 10 digit grid to a IA patrol, just get them to the intersection, or a good 6 digit grid that makes sense. The IA like GPS if we can get them one that is easy to use, functions soley of AAs or a recharger - but don't send a 10 digit grid - I don't even like 10 digit grids

Tell me about it. Ive yet to hear what we need to find in a 1 square meter box. Grids are usually for buildings. 8 digits is plenty, thanks so much.

Don't name OBJs for combined operations after American Cultural things that offer no realtivity or significance in Arab culture

I dont understand why we cant just name them after colors and cardinal directions, all the time. It's universal. Hell, one time, in training, I named my PLT's two OBJs "OBJ Left" and "OBJ Right". Worked just fine.

And here's some bitter personal ranting: The only parts of a BDE level staff that is useful (for platoons, where it counts) in COIN is the S-2. The same goes for Battalion. The fact is, in COIN, battalion level is STRATEGIC. Company is OPERATIONAL. Platoon and squad is TACTICAL. Sorry, but Brigade and higher is essentially strategic and grand strategic. People need to stop being dazzled by general's stars and start being dazzled by chevrons and butter bars (it rhymes!). Battalion commander's discretionary funding? That should be the platoon leader's $. POUND the lessons of COIN into our platoon leader's and NCOs, take the leash off, and then open up the checkbook. They'll win the war.

[bismark17]

A Legal And Law Enforcement Guide To Telephony: Addressing Technical, Legal And Police Issues Relating To The Interface And Interaction With Communication Service Providers (Hardcover) by George Mulczan is a good tutorial on Telecommunications written in a simple enough format for non IT types. I am almost positive that it goes into VOIP technology as well as the POTS networks. The one review on amazon.com doesn't do the book enough justice for the amount of useful information it provides.

Dopers are placing GPS enabled cell phones with their "packages." They are not only getting a cheap surreptitious listening device but one that can be tracked.