Communicating with Skeptical Audiences:

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Information Operations Accessing the Skeptics
Steven J. Iatrou Naval Postgraduate
School Monterey, California
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Definitions

• Information Operations
• Actions taken to affect adversary information and
  information systems while defending ones own
  information and information systems.
• Information Warfare
• Information Operations conducted during time of
  crisis or conflict to achieve or promote specific
  objectives over a specific adversary or
  adversaries

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Why IO?

• Winning battles and wars
• Ability to fight vs. Will to fight
• Iraq (ability? will?)
• Afghanistan (ability? will?)
• Will The mental faculty by which one
  deliberately chooses or decides on a course of
  action

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IO Goals

• Target the human decisionmaking process
• Slow the adversarys operational tempo
• Disrupt adversary plans
• Disrupt the adversarys ability to focus power
• Influence the adversarys estimate of the
  situation

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Psychological Operations

• Actions taken to convey selected information and
  indicators to foreign audiences.
• Influence emotions, motives, reasoning, and
  ultimately behavior
• Truth projection

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Psychological Operations (PSYOP)
Principles (Challenges)
Clearly Defined Mission Thorough Analysis of
Targets Evaluate PSYOP Effects of Military
Actions Proper Transmission Medium/Media Rapid
Exploitation Feedback
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PSYOP Principles (Challenges)

• Clearly Defined Mission
• The Secretary of Defense normally delegates
  PSYOP product approval to the supported combatant
  commander. This does not mean that the supported
  combatant commander also has been delegated
  approval for PSYOP product dissemination.
• Two levels of product approval
• Themes and messages OSD
• Products Unclear. Situation dependent can be
  delegated to the JTF Commander.
• 4th POG (Psychological Operations Group) Not
  well integrated into the planning process.
• PSYOP not well integrated with the Public
  Affairs and Public Diplomacy missions

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PSYOP Principles (Challenges)
Thorough Analysis of Targets Product
disseminators access to POWs and cultural
experts Evaluate PSYOP Effects of Military
Actions Theme and product approval authorities
must closely monitor actions at the tactical
level (and the reactions to them) Proper
Transmission Medium/Media Trusted medium for
the chosen theme/message
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PSYOP Principles (Challenges)
Rapid Exploitation Alter message, medium, or
theme based on evolving attitudes Feedback
Cant to that without this!
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PSYOP Principles (Solutions)

• Establish in country authority to rapidly adjust
  themes based on changing situations
• Establish measurable target conditions
  associated with approved themes
• Develop if-then scenarios for anticipated
  reactions to PYSOP messages/products (positive,
  negative and neutral)
• Continuous coordination (embedded liaison
  officers) between DoS DoD in country to
  determine delta between desired end-state and
  current situation
• Single PSYOP planning team for theater including
  product dissemination experts (4th POG) and
  Public Affairs personnel
• Establish direct feedback mechanism from the
  field to the planning team to enable rapid
  exploitation of situation
• Continuous level of activity to develop and
  maintain channels (Face-to-face)
• Constant target research and analysis