Suitability of Defector Operations Applied Against Al Qaeda
Abstract
During the Vietnam conflict the United States along with the South Vietnam government were able to convince 194,000 enemy personnel to change sides. The majority of these individuals were then exploited for intelligence, propaganda, and other capabilities beneficial to the allies and detrimental to the communist cause. The United States has a long history of using defector operations stretching back to the War of Independence and on through to the end of the Cold War. In spite of this history of experience there is barely a mention of defector operations in modern unclassified doctrine; nor, more importantly, have defector operations been employed as a weapon against Al Qaeda. With common characteristics and a common objective, common Lines of Operations can be established for insurgencies. These insurgency Lines of Operations are: Information Operations, Secrecy, Establishing Safe Base of Operations, Establishing Support, Gaining New Members, and Creating and Maintaining an Internal Structure. By studying both the previous application of defector operations and the academic study on the subject the Lines of Capabilities for defector operations were established. These Lines of Capability are: Intelligence, Psychological Operations, Government Legitimacy, Counterinsurgency Force Enhancement, and Insurgent Instability. When these Lines of Capability are overlaid onto Al Qaeda's Lines of Operations, specific points of impact can be determined. When these points of impact are extrapolated upon it can be established that defector operations would be a suitable program for use against Al Qaeda.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA485467
Entities
People
- Joseph P. Bozzelli
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College