Early Influence Is Hard To Overcome

Like it or not, most of our personality is likely formed before we’re very old. Our childhood experiences and memories are often the bulwark of complex thoughts and feelings, both conscious and unconscious throughout the rest of our lives. 

Rather than focus this week’s posting on the hacking of the AP’s Twitter Account and its effect on Wall Street (see http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/04/23/obama-carney-associated-press-hack-white-house/2106757/) I’ve decided to post on a more insidious means of influence.

Those of us who grew up in the 1950s will attest to the power of TV. Many of us spent incalculable hours watching Mickey Mouse Club, or Roy Rogers or whatever else was on. We felt that TV was our view into the world and it stood for all that was right. Fast forwarding a bit, our children were raised on Sesame Street and the Electric Company. Each of these series were also highly regarded and revered by their young audiences.

This kind of mesmerizing power must be used with caution and so when children’s TV is used to hate, there is great cause for concern. According to The Times of Israel, Hamas broadcasted a TV program where young children were praising martyrdom. (See http://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-children-extol-virtues-of-jihad/ which is also the photo source.)

Growing up with this kind of influence sets the stage for blind acceptance of progressive training all designed to shape a child in the image of a terrorist. In thinking of how this onslaught could be overcome, it strikes me that there is no simple answer. The only obvious answer is if the child viewer can counter the TV with real life experience such as having friends ‘on the other side’. 

When a predisposition is set, it is difficult to overcome and opens the target up to susceptibility for more nefarious activities and we have recently seen by the Tsarnaev brothers’ example.

MISO planners need to insure that country analysis packets are attuned to the type of influence shown on media in the AO and be prepared to provide plans to minimize or counter these efforts so as to increase the chances for ultimate normality in the AO.

Abandoning Terps – History Sadly Repeating Itself

The NY Times among others published articles “Afghan Interpreters for the US are Left Stranded and at Risk”. (See http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/world/asia/american-visa-delays-put-safety-out-of-afghan-interpreters-reach.html?ref=todayspaper which is also the photo source). The essence of the article is that the pull out of US forces from Afghanistan will leave many who have helped the US efforts in deadly peril.

As MISO professionals we are keenly aware of the need to work through people who understand the AO, its people and their culture. Often the best and most credible hires are local nationals who have make the dangerous decision to work for the US or coalition forces. They are paid well by local standards as long as they serve. They also earn the enmity of determined foes like the Taliban, who, unlike the US forces, will remain in Afghanistan for years to come.

Afghanistan is by no means the first place where this has happened. Interpreters are often overlooked as the eagerness of withdrawal embraces those who are on their way home. Many of these valued employees seek to enter the US as a way to not only bolster their security, but perhaps find a new and better life for them and their families.

Regrettably this is a small percentage of the valued workforce. 

Advances in machine translation and ‘reachback’ support may help in some instances, but the need for a trusted interpreter who can not only be the eyes and ears of the MISO force, but who can add credibility to our messages is a critical element for success. We owe it to our valued allies to think about their future before they sacrifice their present.

MISO Enables “Humanitarian assistance as a form of maneuver”

The headline takes a quote from MG Bill Hix, director of the Army’s Concept and Learning Directorate when discussing the “Unified Quest” war game and operations in “North Brownland”. (see http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/03/26/army-war-games-hard-lessons/2022405/)

The Unified Quest war game is apparently modeled on a scenario based on the collapse of an evil country in possession of nuclear weapons. While the main points of the ‘game’ have been associated with the need to project troops and logistics, it was abundantly clear that humanitarian assistance was a vital component of the joint operation.

How a humanitarian assistance mission would flow would depend on the nature of the AO. In the case of North Brownland, the friendly force wanted to draw civilians away from their urban areas and figured that providing humanitarian assistance would be a good way to clear the urban areas of non-combatants and help the population at the same time.

Of course a key element in the success of such a humanitarian mission would be to convince the population to take advantage of that assistance and inform them of when, where and how they could do so. Under the circumstances it would seem that MISO is the only way to inform and influence the target population.

The media to be employed would vary and given an urban scenario would likely include radio and TV broadcast, not to mention SMS and mobile phone communications and perhaps even a bit of Internet communications.

MISO would also likely have to contend with aggressive deception operations by the enemy designed to convince the civilian population that the humanitarian assistance is a fraud or worse that the food and medical aid are contaminated. 

It is also likely that the enemy force would aggressively seek to disrupt or destroy the humanitarian resources or capture them and use them for their own ends so that security is also a major concern.

No matter how you slice it, the failed state scenario is a new contingency that MISO must prepare for.

Photo Source: TRADOC

Map PSYOP: Still A Good Technique

One of the more interesting scenes in the book “Catch 22” is when the bomber crews decide the best way to avoid flying a dangerous mission into enemy territory is to get the Germans to think that the front line has been moved. So they change the front line on one of the maps knowing full well that a German spy will see the new line and report back to his HQ.

Sure enough, the spy takes the bait. He reports where the Americans are showing the front line and the HQ Staff figures that their map must be in error and orders the troops to pull back behind the ‘true’ font line.

Obviously Catch 22 was required reading for the PRC Strategic Influence Operations team. According to the Bangkok post of 29 March, the Indonesians are protesting the map that the PRC is using on its passports. (see http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/342996/indonesia-made-china-passport-complaint which is also the photo source.)

The Chinese are masters of nuance and have been for thousands of years. By printing their perception of borders the Chinese have cleverly managed to tick off one of their Asian neighbors.

Assuming that the move was intentional, this illustrates how the Chinese leadership, department of state and other ministries have all cooperated to influence the outside world at little or no cost. Something that perhaps we could all learn from.

The PRA – Ready for Congress?

The PSYOP Regimental Association is on its way. For years the PSYOP Community has been served by two different associations. The PSYOP Veterans Association (POVA) composed of Viet Nam Veterans and whose main concern is their annual reunion. The PSYOP Association (POA) has been more of an educational resource sponsoring the acclaimed electronic Front Post. Neither accumulated a critical mass of membership nor were they influential in the grand scheme of things.

The new PRA is based at what one of my CDR’s used to call “the center of the universe” – Fort Bragg. The serving MISO Community is driving the train as it should be. (See http://www.psyopra.com). If you are a part of the PSYOP/MISO world, you need to support the PRA because it is positioned to accomplish the mission of sustaining the esprit of the Branch, something the other two societies could not.

The PRA’s by-laws start out:

Section 1: The Association is a Veteran Service Organization. Accordingly, the purpose for which the association is formed are:

(1) Foster tradition, history and camaraderie among all Officers and Non-commissioned Officers; Active Duty and Reserve; Civilian and Retired; Printers, Broadcasters, and Graphic Designers that have contributed to the success of the Psychological Operations Regiment.

(2) Educate the PSYOP force and circulate professional ideas through publishing a regular Association publication available to all members and by hosting professional lectures to further educate members of the PSYOP Regiment.

(3) Recognize excellence within the PSYOP regiment through the Regimental Award, recognizing outstanding Soldier efforts in the POQC/SC, AIT and PSYOP Soldiers and NCOs of the year.

(4) Commemorate fittingly the memory of Psychological Operations troops who have paid the ultimate price in defense of American ideals.

(5) To be a source of pride and esprit de corps for all Psychological Operations / Military Information Support Operations units.

(see: http://www.psyopra.com/PSYOP_Regimental_Association_Bylaws_20_DEC_2013.pdf)

While I know the PRA is just starting out – there are two key elements missing: educating the “Big Army” and informing Congress. The former can certainly be accomplished by serving MISO personnel, while informing Congress cannot. Serving military have certain restrictions that likely include lobbying. 

Over the years budget battles have required a presence in the Halls of Congress. The Air Force has earned a well-deserved reputation for being help to farm the funds they need while the Army in general has not. Given that the Reserve Force is still part of the “Big Army” and that the funding challenges of the past will seem like child’s play compared to the post-Afghanistan world, someone, likely an Association has to carry the PSYOP mantle to our elected officials. Perhaps the PRA can carve out part of its membership willing to take on the task – if not, don’t expect MISO to be treated kindly over the next decade.

First Lady Folk Singer To Project “Soft” Power

Peng Liyuan, the wife of the pending Chinese President, Xi Jinping will purportedly be taking a more active role on behalf the PRC. The Financial Times of March 13, 2013 (see: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/d83a8ed4-8bbf-11e2-8fcf-00144feabdc0.html#slide0) wrote a column on how the folk singer first lady will be part of the new President’s arsenal and a new personification of the Chinese government.

This approach is quite a departure from the past and in my view, a pretty good idea on a lot of levels. First of all, by having his wife travel with him he won’t hear her complaining about his travels. More importantly, putting a soft (and attractive) face on a government that has generally been labeled in less than flattering terms is a proven technique.

We live in a visual age. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other channels are the direct links to much of the world’s population. US Presidents have had mixed success in promoting their wives as alternative faces of America.

Michelle Obama has been a rousing champion for her husband and a credible, likeable and seemingly omnipresent alter ego. She has appeared on everything from children’s TV shows suck as “I Carly” to the Academy Awards. She is photogenic, strong and appealing, yet projects a ‘soft power image’.

Hillary Clinton on the other hand has faired far better since moving out from her husband’s shadow while the Bush wives never seemed to ruffle the airwaves.

If the new Chinese President is savvy enough to harness his wife’s star power and charisma, this may be an intelligence indicator that the strategic influence battle is about to be taken in a new direction.

Photo Source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/11/25/meet-peng-liyuan-china-s-first-lady-to-be.html

Can you always trust the human map?

On March 4, 2013 Robert Fisk wrote in the Independent “Alawite history reveals the complexities of Syria that West does not understand” (see http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/robert-fisk-alawite-history-reveals-the-complexities-of-syria-that-west-does-not-understand-8518455.html?goback=.gde_2195454_member_219688737)).

Fisk is a Beirut based journalist who argues that the West has all too often relied on purist maps that neatly divide the world into clean areas. I think he knows  what he is talking about, because I can recall that the maps in Bosnia were pretty crisp in the sense that Bosniaks (Moslems), Croats (Catholics) and Serbs (Orthodox) were all in their clearly delineated areas after the conflict subsided in Yugoslavia, while the same maps prior to the conflict did in fact show a Mosaic.

Fisk points out that Westerners will sometimes rely on purist maps because it might politically incorrect to do otherwise or alternatively because no one really knows what the population looks like in the first place. I would have to say that I certainly agree with Fisk’s last point. As it turns out most conflicts don’t take place in areas that are economically robust. This means that commercial entities are not really interested in what is going on with that particular segment because the segment doesn’t have the money to buy anything that the commercial sector wants to sell.

This translate into not only a dearth of information about the population, but even less reliable information about the media because no one cares who is watching what TV station or listening to which radio station because the ratings don’t translate into sales.

Influencers of all stripes know that a key first step in formulating a plan is understanding who you are going to communicate with and what is the best way to reach them.  For MISO, PSYOP and Public Diplomacy this means working at ground level probably with trusted citizens or others with a proven understanding of the AO to develop this sort of road map. 

While we all sing the praises of Open Sources and the information explosion of the Internet, this doesn’t mean that the right information will be available when you need it. Innovation and the ability to assimilate the lay of the land under austere conditions and time pressure remains a core skill of the influence profession.

Photo Source: http://www.hasbro.com/shop/details.cfm?R=8EC0DD32-6D40-1014-8BF0-9EFBF894F9D4:en_US&product_id=8629&src=endeca