Colonel Steven Mains, US Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, KS
Director, Center for Army Lessons Learned
- Thesis
- us govt is ceding to the info war to our enemies
- more money is required
- govt must be reorganized to retake the initiative
- 2 examples of what could have been
- prior to OIF, France & Muslin world opposed invasion but were open to influence
- IEDs became weapon of choice but have severe vulnerabilities
- the problem
- coordinated campaign required
- info ops not integrated into planning and decision making
- govt to people comms almost nonexistent
- US Govt built in stovepipes
- complete reorganization of the govt not a feasible option
- End
- advance US ideals and policies by ensuing that everyone has access to factual, unbiased, unfiltered info about intentions, actions & character of US, allies & adversaries
- Ways
- gauge world views by region, ethnicity, religion
- identify market segments
- identify acceptance and effects of policies
- deliver truthful, tailored content that relies on our values to our policies
- continuous reassessment
- Means
- Dep advisor to prez for national security (strategic communications)
- increased national security council
- strategic comms task force
- dept of state reorg
- DNI: covert communications
- DHS: Infrastructure assurance
- USAID: substantially increased Public Diplomacy capability
- DOD: integrated into PD efforts, CNO
