Innovating Informational Solutions During Operation Inherent Resolve: Necessity Does Not Have to be the Mother of Invention
Abstract
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a recent example of a threat network that first incubated virtually with limited personnel to build financing and manpower before physically forming en masse. Once coalesced with personnel and equipment, ISIS rapidly gained control of territory within Iraq and Syria before facing significant military opposition. Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) was the US-led effort to deny ISIS territorial holdings in the physical realm of Iraq and Syria. Within this narrow objective, OIR was a resounding success. Eventually, coalition forces drove the ability of ISIS to hold territory to near zero. However, ISIS as a network continues spreading propaganda, recruiting, and banking funds. Measuring the health of a network is inherently complex, because of the multitude of interconnections among nodes and the exponential possibilities of routing information through these connections. As highlighted at the outset of Operation Enduring Freedom against Al Qaeda and reemphasized a decade later, "it takes networks to fight networks.". Applying this concept to air operations, one cannot expect airpower to fight a network-based adversary unless in conjunction with the totality of the US's own networks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 02, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1107485
Entities
People
- Robert T. Vincent
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College