PSYOPS for DUMMIES !
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
United States
October 7, 2007 7:47pm CST
PSYOPS is short for psychological operations. These consist of non coercive or non violent methods of causing an enemy to not act in his own best interest. Often this takes the form of disinformation, "believable lies", if you will.
Today, in the Iraq war we can witness just such a thing going on. Check out this article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071007/ts_nm/britain_iraq_afghanistan_dc
In this article is the story of how a British "think tank" has pronounced the Iraq invasion a terrible mistake. These geniuses have declared the USA is going about fighting Al Qaeda all wrong. Consider these quotes from the article.
"Combined with conventional policing and security measures, al Qaeda can be contained and minimized but this will require a change in policy at every level."
"He described the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq as a "disastrous mistake" which had helped establish a "most valued jihadist combat training zone" for al Qaeda supporters."
Both of the above quotes are laughable as a matter of fact.
Al Qaeda can not be contained and minimized with conventional policing. To say so can only serve the purpose of giving hope and deluding current and future Al Qaeda members. This would be to encourage them to fight longer so as for more of them to be killed. They are being killed currently. In large numbers.
PSYOPS, encouraging the enemy to not act in their own best interest.
"Most valued jihadist combat training zone". What a joke! Sounds good doesn't it? The problem is,"How effective are fighters that die receiving their training?". Iraq is an Al Qaeda kill zone and graveyard.
PSYOPS, encouraging the enemy to not act in their own best interest.
In the interest of peace, I'm going to give Al Qaeda the best advice they could possibly get.
CEASE THE ARMED STRUGGLE, NOW! Take your jihad into the political arena. There you have a chance.
Does this post help you to understand the nature of PSYOPS?
To see if you do in fact understand the nature of psychological operations answer these questions.
1) Which is the PSYOP? My post or the linked article?
2) Explain your answer to #1
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4 responses
@MntlWard (878)
• United States
8 Oct 07
"Take the jihad into the political arena?"
Well, that certainly wouldn't work. If anybody pops up claiming to speak for al-qaeda wanting to engage in some negotiation, they'll be quickly taken to Guantanamo or one of those secret CIA prisons.
Who's to say that hasn't *already* happened?
The article's message seems (to me) to be the general consensus about the war. Pretty much every news source except Fox News is saying roughly the same thing. If it is a PSYOP, then why aren't Bush and Co. confirming the article as truth instead of throwing accusations of treason at anyone who doesn't describe the Iraq War as the most successful war ever?
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
8 Oct 07
Your criticism is well founded in that I did not speak very clearly. My words do create confusion. You are right that Al qaeda spokesmen would be kidnapped, interrogated, and killed.
What I should have said is that radical Muslims need to stop the shooting war. There are many participents in the WOT. Al qaeda is not the only one. In Iraq there are various factions. I should not have used the words "Al Qaeda" to refer to all the radical Muslims.
Most of the radical Muslims already are involved in the political process. Some of them have already turned on Al Qaeda! I am advocating they phase out the shooting and phase in the political. In fact, they are doing this.
"If it is a PSYOP, then why aren't Bush and Co. confirming the article as truth?"
Do you know what is, "Reverse psychology"?
Bush and company very much want the enemy to believe the linked article. If Bush and company, claim it is true, the enemy will not believe it.
For the enemy to believe the linked article is to give them hope to keep fighting. This is what Bush and company want because we are killing a very large number of radical Muslims. The only way for the radical Muslims to confound and defeat Bush's strategy is to stop the fighting.
"The article's message seems (to me) to be the general consensus about the war."
Yes, it is. It is also very much wrong.
2 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
9 Oct 07
"I doubt Bush is smart enough to have created such a plan."
The Commander in Chief would not have anything to do with small details like planning psyops in support of an operation. The President could, of course, order any kind of psyops he wanted, but the normal SOP would be for him to have nothing to do with it. As an example, President Bush would have ordered the invasion of Iraq, but he would have had practically nothing to do with planning it. That's why a professional officer corps exists.
2 people like this
@bravenewworld (746)
• United States
9 Oct 07
I don't think this is reverse pyschology. This think tank is hardly that influential, in terms of affecting al-Qaeda policy. Must be a sincere assessment of the situation.
I think it's a matter of record that the invasion has created an al-Qaeda presense in Iraq that was not there before. And I wouldn't be suprised if it's created more radicals than it's removed. Also, security measures and policing may be the only way to deal with al-Qaeda - inasmuch as they can't be easily identified and attacked or detained. Changes of foreign policy may eventually defuse the threat of a radicalized Islam, and in the meantime containment is the best defense.
Not saying I'm convinced (I don't know how you guys are so sure of what you speak). But this think tank doesn't seem complete baloney to me, and provides food for thought.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
8 Oct 07
Hello Redyelloblackdog,
Clearly, the article was written by an idealist who believes that all malevolent intent can be cured through bribery. Which couldn't be further from the truth.
However, I'll also point out that the US has not used sufficient or effective long-term PSYOPS initiatives either.
I will share that as soon as the invasion, to topple the Hussein regime was announced, I sent a fax to the White House outlining: first, my hope that the administration was planning on facilitating PSYOPS measures among the citizens of Iraq, from the 'get-go', so as to plant the seed of what freedom, and self-governance might mean. At that time, the average age of the Iraqi citizens was younger than the number of years that Hussein had been in office. Sadly, that meant that the majority of Iraqi's had no personal experience with freedom. And, secondly I outlined a few such measures that, if employed with immediacy, would begin to breath a new life into the hopes and dreams of the Iraqi people, for a free and independent Iraq. I guess they didn't get my fax. It couldn't be that my citizen's suggestions were completely ignored, could it?
Also, the author of the article seems to have a complete lack of understanding of the necessity of the US to maintain a presence in Iraq, from a strategic standpoint. I guess the expert who penned the article has never heard the term "power vacuum". Oh wait, I'm setting my expectations way too high. Silly me.
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
8 Oct 07
The author of the article seems to have a complete lack of understanding of the necessity of the US to maintain a presence in Iraq."
Yes, the author does appear this way. However, it is hard to believe any member of a "think tank" could be that stupid. Hence, I suspect a hostile psyops aimed at increasing Muslim casualties. Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe they are that stupid!
As to your other suggestions for a positive psyops campaign in Iraq, I am quite sure that happened. It is a standard feature of all US operations to include such measures.
3 people like this
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
8 Oct 07
I am sincerely hoping it is the linked article, because if that think tank really believes that drivel that they are putting out then they need to be locked up for there own protection and before they start making everyone else think like that.
Just reading that is enough to make me want to reach through the computer and start slapping them around.
Fighters that die while receiving their training would seem to lose their effectiveness really fast.
For al Qaeda to stop fighting with bullets and bombs and start fighting with words in the political arena is the best thing and the same thing that we all try to do as civilized nations.
I would have to say the linked article is the PSYOP.
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
8 Oct 07
As usual, we think alike.
If the linked article is the PSYOP, then my advice for Al Qaeda to stop the shooting war and go to the political struggle really is the smartest thing they could do, too.
Of course, Al Qaeda will probably rationalize that I'm some psyops genius in the secret employ of the CIA rather than admit the truth they are being stupid to continue the war.
All they would have to do is ask my wife to find out I'm not a genius.
I'll say it one last time.
Al Qaeda! Want to really tick off the USA? Stop the war!
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