US Army Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo discusses information warfare [Quicktime video]. Among the points made:
"Just my opinion, but I would say the enemy understands the importance of communicating to audiences better than we do."
He gets a number of things right. He's reasonably good at explaining some basics to an American audience, and takes the viewer on an interesting historical trip from WW2 through Korea (he's critical of the Army's stance), Vietnam (ditto), et. al. He also offers very solid advice and examples to those who are serving, using compelling human interest stories to make his points. The nature of such a diverse population ensures that a range of views will be expressed when that advice is taken - but at least it will be a view informed by personal experience and understanding.
Cucolo is betting that the overall human interest benefits, introduction of informed opinion, and connections to the American public will outweigh any negative blowback or diverging views. He's almost certainly right. We'll see if the US Army can listen to that advice, and how well they take it.
There's a flip side to Cucolo's subject, which is countering enemy disinformation campaigns...
The Palestinians' "Pallywood," and its relentless media fakery/intimidation combination, are one prominent example - but certainly not the only one.
That's beyond the scope of Cucolo's video, which takes more of a "lengthen your own line rather than cutting the other guy's" approach. That approach isn't wholly wrong, and success can't be had without it. Experience in war and in the related human field of politics, however, shows that it doesn't suffice by itself. "Leave no attack unanswered" is a bipartisan political maxim for a reason.
I can certainly understand why Cucolo would avoid that subject, and stick to the Army's human interest stories. After all, the flip side of disinformation issues ends up enmeshed in domestic politics, where some sub-factions happily and uncritically amplify enemy propaganda. The US Army doesn't want to enmesh itself in any aspect of that dynamic... but the political battles will and do include it.
The question is which political players/factions will step up to that in some kind of organized fashion, and when, and how.
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