Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): merged thread

[bismark17]

I learned a lot from a great friend over coffee just outside of the gates of Ft. Lewis. Until my eyes started drifting over to more interesting sights in the coffee shop......The new Army Intel Analysis manual is pretty good. FM34-3??? There is also a great one on Intel Analysis in Urban environments. I will send you the links.

The great thing is all of this stuff is on the net. At the risk of making the military guys mad at me, I don't think the methodology is that critical. It's good and works well for them in their realms. But they have to do deal with a very complex variety of potential situations and areas of operation that civilians don't have to worry about.

I don't have to worry about having a pre built process to set up an intel shop in Baghdad or North Korea, I just have to know what's going on in that barber shop where my players are hanging in as an example.

[marct]

Hi John,

I learned a lot from a great friend over coffee just outside of the gates of Ft. Lewis. Until my eyes started drifting over to more interesting sights in the coffee shop......The new Army Intel Analysis manual is pretty good. FM34-3??? There is also a great one on Intel Analysis in Urban environments. I will send you the links.

Thanks, I'd appreciate it.

The great thing is all of this stuff is on the net. At the risk of making the military guys mad at me, I don't think the methodology is that critical. It's good and works well for them in their realms. But they have to do deal with a very complex variety of potential situations and areas of operation that civilians don't have to worry about.

I don't have to worry about having a pre built process to set up an intel shop in Baghdad or North Korea, I just have to know what's going on in that barber shop where my players are hanging in as an example.

Good point. Actually, I'm also wondering how much of it can be adapted for Anthropological fieldwork. I can just see the reactons ofsome of my colleagues when I assign a US Army manual as a textbook .

Marc

[Steve Blair]

I'd appreciate those links as well, if you don't mind. Some of this bleeds over into my own theories of insurgencies and may have some historical links as well.

[bismark17]

I tried to find them and am still looking. Whenever I find them I will pm them to you guys. The Open Source manual does have an interesting break down on basic research techniques that was also good.

You could cut and paste it with other items and create a great abstract for teaching. There is a lot of relevant material being created by the Military community that is applicable to anyone needing to understand what is going on in an area. Take care!

[Jedburgh]

I learned a lot from a great friend over coffee just outside of the gates of Ft. Lewis. Until my eyes started drifting over to more interesting sights in the coffee shop......The new Army Intel Analysis manual is pretty good. FM34-3??? There is also a great one on Intel Analysis in Urban environments. I will send you the links.

The great thing is all of this stuff is on the net...

As far as I know, the current FM 2-91.4 Intelligence in Support to Operations in the Urban Environment (AKO log-in required), dated Jun 05, is not available on the general 'net - if that is the one you are referring to.

FM 34-3 Intelligence Analysis, dated Mar 90, is readily available - but that version is dated. There was a much-improved draft dated May 98, but that isn't generally available. A new version has been in the works for a long time....

[Jedburgh]

...The new Army Intel Analysis manual is pretty good. FM34-3???...

...FM 34-3 Intelligence Analysis, dated Mar 90, is readily available - but that version is dated. There was a much-improved draft dated May 98, but that isn't generally available. A new version has been in the works for a long time....

A Draft - Not For Implementation copy of the new FOUO FM 2-33.4 Intelligence Analysis in now available for review to those with an AKO log-in. It has significantly changed from the previous versions that I referred to in my earlier post.

[Stan]

Jed,
It's getting better. I see some good improvements over the previous version. It will get even more practical as people use it and provide input.

It literally stands on OSINT as if this was the singular source and doesn't strike differences in clear terms for the typical Joe. A paragraph or two is used to strike distictions in intel gathering.

Relationships between two propositions with similar content and predicate, but differing in quantity or quality as in pro-govt. vs oppostion views are missing. Those situations tend to come up each day. Who then decides which version is more correct without anything else to go on ?

Those tend to be harder to grasp even for a seasoned player with a language background. Only with time does such an understanding come. How much time do we then allow before concluding the source is reliable ? It is after all, open and subject to 'opinions'.

The DC end of the coin has to make sense of this source. The FM doesn't address this adequately in my opinion. The end user will then determine on his/her own the significance ?

We often received inquiries from DC to recheck our info. Our views then were not just open, but from several sources put together in order to conclude we knew what we were talking about.

I welcome the FM and hope for success....Go Rangers !
Regards, Stan

[dusty]

I've been doing some IPB on a new AO, and have been using a massive amount of OSINT to do it. I balance it out with the classified stuff I get, but for the most part, between media from the region, media in the US, and scholastic reports on the history of the AO, I have a much better overall understanding of the AO and can convey that to my commander. I am definitely an OSINT convert after these past two weeks!

[Stan]

Welcome !
That would be my point, dead on.
Take it in, but back it up with something more credible.
Good on ya !