PSYOP and Gaza: Model For The Future

I believe that the recent conflict in Gaza can serve as a model of what many PSYOP missions will look like in the future. Here are a couple of my reasons:

1.     Longstanding History

2.     Religious Overtones

3.     World Audience

4.     Sophisticated Media Mix

5.     No Ultimate Winner

1.     Long standing History

The conflict in Gaza is only the latest in the what seems like eternal struggles going on the Middle East. While this conflict may involve comparatively new political and national (depending on your point of view) entities, it has evolved over a very long period of time so that the current generation is far removed from the original events.

2.     Religious Overtones

There can be no question that the conflict is between Israel, a Jewish state and Islamic forces. While components of these two protagonists may run the gamut from orthodox and fundamentalist to moderate and reform, and there may be other religions involved, the two principal players are clear.

3.     World Audience

Much of the media and PSYOP (for my doctrinal purist friends since much of the conflict is being pursued by non-state actors, they cannot have military forces since military organizations are arms of the state) is not directed locally but internationally and is designed to influence audiences far beyond the conflict.

4.     Sophisticated Media Mix

Social media is playing a prominent role in the conflict and there can be no doubt that there is an intended psychological effect behind the cyber attacks that have taken place.

5.     No Ultimate Winner

Much like the situation between the Koreas, there is no clear winner and no ‘legal’ resolve to the issues behind the conflict. While a cease fire may have been called and lower levels of outright conflict may exist temporarily, the final battle or agreement in this conflict is not likely to happen in the near time.

Today’s Gaza situation shows the importance of being able to adapt and innovate to dominate the war of today. It also shows that while there may have been considerable kinetic action, the real victory will come through influence.