Refocusing Intelligence Support to Counterinsurgency Operations
Abstract
In the coming decades, America's enemies will challenge the U.S. military through the routine use of irregular and asymmetric attacks. The military effects of these attacks will likely be small, but the informational effects may be decisive. Success by its enemies will weaken the American public's resolve while increasing support for the insurgent. Today's conflicts depend on popular support. The legitimate government and the insurgency exist due to support from the population. Winning asymmetric wars depends extensively on controlling people, both as individuals and within groups. The military has always had a thorough appreciation of physical terrain, but in today's wars, appreciation of "cognitive terrain" will prove more decisive. Cognitive terrain can consist of history, race, ethnicity, religion, wealth, and other factors. It may prove exceptionally difficult for an outsider to understand people of other cultures, but it is not impossible. Recent events in Al Anbar Province serve as an example. In 2006, U.S. forces finally wrested control of the civilian population from Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) due to the cooperation of sheiks and the acquiescence of the people. The key factors in this "awakening" were the actions of coalition commanders who understood the culture, the situation of individual sheiks, and the plight of the common Iraqi. The source of strength for an insurgent is the civilian population. His control over the people gives him both intelligence and counterintelligence superiority over the legitimate government. Counterinsurgents, however, can defeat the insurgent if they target the same population and then succeed in drawing them to the side of the government. Conducting focused intelligence collection and analysis on elements of the enemy's forces, local leadership, and the general population will allow counterinsurgency operational commanders to win efficiently and consistently.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA491196
Entities
People
- Randolph G. Pugh
Organizations
- Marine Corps University