IO: Marines Battle Rumor Mill in Iraq

[ilots]

3 in a row - PSYOP rant time?

I gotta stop here or my head will explode.

Populations ARE key terrain in COIN and UW. Until the war for influence, information, and ideology is given a footing more equal to the "shooting" war, we will not be successful in the GWOT.

Regarding Rumors - If you don't take the time to create and foster a credible reputation among key communicators, how can you combat rumors after the fact? The hardest aspect of PSYOP is to build credibility and persuade a Target Audience to trust you although you may be an enemy. It takes effort and time - and must be proactive not reactive - as our 345th'er posted.

The Army unit I supported understood very little about Information Operations and Psychological Operations.

The other half of this challenge is making people understand that PSYOP is OBJECTIVE driven and focused on changing behaviors; whether that behavior supports a campaign to alter the battlespace prior to the battle, to create actions which support intelligence activities, or to simply foster positive support for allied efforts. It is not some "willy-nilly" pile of "good ideas" that we throw out there to make people like us; it must be part of a unified, phased-timeline, objective-driven campaign w/defined MOE's.

I have long found it interesting that the average non-SME officer would not attempt to tell an ODA HOW to conduct FID, a SEAL team HOW to board/seize a vessel, Rangers HOW to take an airfield, HUMINT teams HOW to collect, CAV units HOW to conduct maneuver warfare - but for some reason, many are very apt to tell PSYOP HOW to create behavioral changes.

bet that the insurgents in Iraq have specially-tasked people who do this exact thing..

- You'd win! Iraqi insurgents, as well as terorrists, strongly understand the importance of the "idea war" and dedicate assets to support it. The internet further fueled this phenomenon, which really took off when the Makhtab al Khadimat used tapes to generate Arab support in the Soviet-Astan war. Besides conducting such operations on the ground, AQ took this a step further with a dedicated media support, like "as Sahab." Other more independent brokers also stepped in, Babar Ahmed & Younis Tsouli (Irhabi007.) Tsouli, in particular, played a role in Iraq; as he was sent videos from Zarqawi (among others) and reproduced and spread them via the internet -other regionally based organizations such as "the Global Islamic Media Front" & "the Information Commission for the Help of the Iraqi People," have done similiar. Not to be grim, but small insurgent or terror groups recognize that funding goes to those "organizations" who show their prowess via videos of attacks, beheadings, etc.
- Likewise DOCEX, public statements, and interviews have shown that terrorists and insurgents recognize the importance of this aspect of the war - even offering explicit details.

I fear what happens when/if outside fighters and terrorists do more to entrench themselves with the Iraqi populations and insurgents - more akin to the humanitarian efforts of Hezbollah.

PSYOP - If you wear the Palm Tree & Wings, then we likely each other! I'll shoot you a PM.