Winning the Information War

[NousDefionsDoc]

By Retired USMC Major Michael McBride

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/c...&comments=true



Vietnam forever changed the relationship between the military and the Mainstream Media. I think that the case can be made to some degree that the real issue is between various administrations, their Pentagon inhabitants, and the media…not between the media and the troops on the ground. But what happens in this food fight is that the cafeteria fare almost always ends up on the faces, and uniforms of the troops. (good references here…A Bright and Shining Lie, Dereliction of Duty, Once Upon a Distant War, The Best and the Brightest, The Pentagon Papers) And all the troops I know are pretty unforgiving when their uniform is stained by someone else’s careless behavior, or their reputation is smeared through careless and biased reporting. (Hugh Hewitt’s interview with LtGen Mattis makes the case here.)

This fissure, first noticed after ApBac in Vietnam, and widened irreparably by Walter Cronkite’s 1968 Tet reporting, has only festered since. The military has done its part…successful campaigns in Panama, Grenada, Desert Storm and the current war in Iraq. There have been setbacks, Iranian Hostage Rescue, Beirut (driven by political constraints of the day, see The Root by Eric Hammel ), the USS Cole, but-by-and large, the military has more than upheld its contract with the citizens of this country by responding superbly when tasked by the nation Command Authority.



An Amphibious Reconnaissance Platoon from the US Marines' 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Forces and their Philippine counterpart storm the beach to simulate an amphibious assault of high value individual during an amphibious landing exercise at a beach in Palawan in southwestern Philippines, in this Oct. 23, 2006, file photo. On Friday Dec. 22, 2006 the United States has canceled large-scale military manueuvers in the Philippines dubbed "Balikatan 2007 " in a thorny dispute over custody of a U.S. Marine while he appeals a rape conviction, officials said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez,FILE) Their reward?...continuous deriding and minimalization of their accomplishments by the MSM corps. The badgering of generals, the callous showing of soldiers and Marines dying at the hands of snipers, the blatant disregard for other metrics of success other than US casualty counts, only reinforces the utter disrespect and disdain that the MSM has for the military, and by extension…the troops in the field.

As a result of the MSM messaging, our field generals, and our troops are being portrayed as failing. I think this is an incorrect representation of what is happening…we are really losing the information war, and as with Vietnam, if we don’t adjust fire soon, we may lose the war in Iraq…a vital battle in the Global War on Terror.

Part of the problem is that the military doesn’t get that trying to deal with the MSM as partners will not work. Even the new Insurgency Field Manual (3-24) still expects the military forces to deal with the MSM as responsible parties…

“5-33. Good working relationships between counterinsurgent leaders and members of the U.S. media are in the Nation’s interest. Similar relationships can be established with international media sources. When they do not understand COIN efforts, U.S. media representatives portray the situation to the American public based on what they do know. Such reports can be incomplete, if not incorrect. Through professional relationships, military leaders can ensure U.S. citizens better understand what their military is doing in support of the Nation’s interests.

5-34. The media are ever present and influence perceptions of the COIN environment. Therefore, successful leaders engage the media, create positive relationships, and help the media tell the story. Operations security must always be maintained; however, security should not be used as an excuse to create a media blackout. In the absence of official information, some media representatives develop stories on their own that may be inaccurate and may not include the COIN force perspective. (See JP 3-61, FM 46-1, FM 3-61.1 for public affairs doctrine.)” (my emphasis)

Sorry…this is Mission Impossible IV. News flash…this is already happening through no fault of the dutiful military PA types. This is already occurring because of an agenda driven media, that is decidedly anti-Bush, then anti-war, and consequently anti-military. PAOs all over the military could run textbook FM 3-61.1 plays, and it would make no difference…it is time to change the playbook when it comes to Insurgency Information Warfare.

To do this we can use some of the techniques that we us in other forms of warfare.

By-pass strongholds of enemy opposition The MSM is a “dead” outlet for the military. Regardless of the hopeful encouragement above in paragraphs 5-33 and 5-34 to commanders and PAOs…the MSM needs to be cut off from military support in the theater. They are of no use, and they are only haggling and counter-messaging the provided information anyway.

By cutting them out of the pattern, you diminish their ability to claim to be “fair.” They are making things up anyway, by cutting off their information and access you publicly cut on their credibility…when they decide they can be fair, they can come back, until then take away their ability to claim to be impartial.

This cuts at the very essence of their existence, and their ability to compete in the information marketplace. Hit them in the pocketbook…they’ll come back, AND play nice. Anyone see the news on the Strib sale?

[NousDefionsDoc]

Establish Air/net Supremacy

The six O’clock news isn’t what it once was…how is Katie doing? Print media isn’t what it once was…anyone see the news on the Strib sale? Skip those, go to talk radio, go to the big blogs. These out outlets that friendly to the effort and will go a long way in letting the military get their information out.

Pay for theater insurance twenty more Michael Yons. Get your field commanders on the air with Hugh, Laura, Bill Bennett, Rush, etc. everyday, don’t just chum the waters once a week. This is the “media” in the new information age, not personality driven reporting and anchoring.

Quit caring what the MSM thinks, establish air/net dominance on talk radio and on the internet.

Prepare for Battle The obituaries for former President Ford that are finding their way into the papers and onto television today were not written last night. News agencies, papers, and networks have been assembling files so that a competent story could be written in a timely manner after his death. Good job, good planning.

Coincidentally, a few days ago the MSM took great pains to emphasize that the number of casualties in Iraq and now exceeded the number of casualties that we suffered in the World Trade Center Attacks on 9/11…as if there was some correlation or relevancy. Our military should have been prepared for that messaging. We knew it was coming…it is SOP for the lame, redundant MSM.

We know that the press/networks are numbers, date, coincidence driven in finding angles for their stories; we need to anticipate this and execute pre-emptive messaging and effective counter-messaging. We need to be proactive, and anticipate the MSM moves, so that we are either ahead of them with more effective messages, or able to cover their messages with effective themes and responses.

Counter-attack

Yes, we need to counter attack the media when they are out of bounds. When they publish something false, we need to quit ignoring the issue, in the hopes that one day they will be nice to us…they will not…and fire back. We need to put young troopers in front of Ollie North and let them describe to America how CNN, AP, or CBS lied, or misrepresented a story. They need to be getting it back in spades from our generals and field commanders when they imply that we are failing…we need to point out where they are failing…press room composition data, objectivity, and published falsehoods.

It needs to be open warfare, until the MSM realizes that the American public will side with the troops, and the media will be diminished as the fourth rail. The MSM has been firing broadsides at the military for nearly forty years it is time to fight back.

Indeed this is the crux for our victory…this endeavor and our goals to win this intermediate objective in the GWOT, can be all but wiped out by another Walter Cronkite moment. We truly lost Vietnam through a MSM induced erosion of public support and will, and if we do not actively fight their tactics, we are on the precipice of losing in Iraq in exactly the same fashion. Fight back…they are not likely expecting it.

They need to be taken to the woodshed like the impudent child they are emulating.

Metric agility

The current, preeminent measure of success in Iraq is the media “body count.” Iraqi civilian or US military, it doesn’t matter. They keep that metric in the forefront every day. They are intentionally using that metric in an effort to erode support for President Bush and the war. We need to neutralize that as a metric. We need to become metric agile, and metric profuse.

But, before we go there we need to understand, that if we pick one or even just a few alternative metric(s), the enemy, because of our media’s complicity in undermining our effort, will target that/those metric(s). If we define a measure of success, then the enemy will do everything in their power to present to our media, that we are failing. Our media, because of their bias, will do everything in their power to present it to the American public.

Hence we need to be both metric profuse and metric agile. We need to develop dozens of “metrics” that help us define, not military victory, but movement towards a state of normality. These metrics could include GNP growth, unemployment, commercial airliner traffic, gross vehicular traffic, small business openings, construction projects completed, pedestrian traffic in commercial zones, internet address registrations, internet traffic, Iraqi blogs, etc., the more, the better. We need to overwhelm the current metric, and saturate the media with alternative metrics…metrics too numerous to count…too numerous for the insurgents to effectively target.

Essentially, strip them of their metric, substitute with our own, equally…possible more viable, metrics. And don’t let up. Use all outlets, all the time. Change and update frequently. Overwhelm their recourses and their ability to target.

It is time for our military to accept the fact that the media is working against us. Yes, they pretend they aren’t, and they posture behind the thinnest of guises, but they are actively trying to subvert the intentions of the President, and in doing so, “fighting” the military. It is time to fight back.

I am not talking about closing them down. I am talking about countering their methods and their messaging, and rendering their tactics harmless to our efforts. It can be done, and we should start by accepting that we no longer should be seeking their coverage as validation of our efforts or righteousness. They have gone beyond the pale, we no longer need them on our team, and in fact it is time to rid ourselves of them.

Then don’t look back.

[x SF med]

NDD- outstanding post, you lay out the action plan clearly and concisely.

The MSM, as we have all seen does only focus on a single metric in the GWOT, and on a very limited number of AOs, well two, Iraq and Afghanistan. they seem to have forgotten that this is truly a GLOBAL WOT, and that we have Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coasties doing their CHOSEN jobs around the world. The MSM does not interview the soldiers who are solid in their purpose, holding their honor close to heart, and protecting them selflessly - NO the MSM focuses on the few bad apples who find issues with their chosen profession, those who used the military to get an education, excellent experience, and be part of the greatest traditions of this country - the dererters, traitors and cowards who use the military to focus on themselves and bring press upon themselves - working into the agenda of the MSM. Bad press sells papers, sells ad minutes, sells the wrong message, creates more confusion and gives our enemies ammunition to recruit new followers - it actually extends the power of the movers and shakers behind the scenes of the insurrectionists. the MSM just doesn't get it.

We, as true citizens of this great country, the protectors, the shadow men, the sheepdogs - are lionized for what we chose as a profession (formerly or currently), we do not want fame, just fair treatment. We want a media that reports the whole truth, not just the truth as they see it. And NDD is right, we need to see the MSM as an insurgent enemy, use the lessons learneed to deal with them, counter their claims with the truth, give them metrics they can't spin into body counts, use all of the tools we have - conventional and unconventional - short of just lining them up and nuking them - to get the real stories of the GWOT and our fine soldiers' efforts in ALL the AOs of the GWOT.

It is also interesting that the only 'bad' actions are those of the US soldiers in our press, issues with the other militaries involved in the focus areas of the MSM seem to be 'lost'. Education of the public by the MSM is unheard of - have they tried to explain the 2000 years of tribal politics, tribal feuds, wars, and religious strife in the focus areas of their reporting - NO.

NDD, if you need a hand getting your well laid out plan implemented, let me know, I'll do what I can, I feel I owe it to all of you guys in the sand, in the jungles, on the savannahs, and in the mountains protecting those who won't protect themselves and their families.

***rant over***

[NousDefionsDoc]

I didn't write it, it was written by a retired USMC Major. I fixed the first one.

[Noslack71]

NDD- Great post, you have obviously thought a bit about (Morons Searching for Meaning). While I agree with your analysis of the situation I disagree with the remedies you suggest and, here is why.
It has been my very limited experience with students, journalists and MSM folks that, the problem begins in college. It seems that journalism more often than not is being taught as more of a political philosophy course rather than the art and science of newspaper/media writing and reporting. That philosophy for the most part appears to be a little left wing/anti anything about the USG. There also seem to be more than a few folks in that career field that willing, if not eager (tinfoil hats etc) to entertain a myriad of conspiracy theories. We would be shoveling sand against the tide unless and until we get a handle on our education system. I have faith in the great American middle class while many do not recognize a lot of the BS MSM shovels at them, I believe(Hope is more like it) that they will not give away the store based on what the MSM tells them.
The second problem I have with your suggestion is that in the few polls I have seen, only the MSM polls either equal to or lower than Congress in public trust. The military is consistently considered one of the most highly regarded institutions in the US. I feel it would be a mistake to waste that credibility in fighting with the MSM.
There is that old saying about "not getting in a pissing contests with a skunk!"
Third- It appears that the younger generations have already gotten the message. Alternative communications (blogs, you tube, email etc) everything except TV, newspapers and the MSM are their sources of news. The MSM has not been able to get inside the attention/information cycle the young folks I work and live with seem to use as their basis for decision making. Even at work, most of the folks that seem at all engaged with the MSM are 40+. By the time the MSM execs or whoever makes the decision on a story, the teenagers & 20 somethings I observe, appear to have moved on to something else. That is if they even acknowledged the MSM story in their first place. Granted, OIF has their attention but, I have heard many of them comment on how generally unreliable the MSM is. That is by no means an accurate poll, just comments I found pleasently surprising.
Fourth- I don't think it would be the best use of DoD assets to get into a "metrics" battle with the media. Eventually The military would probably want a new MOS for those soldiers. The next thing would be "special combat media metrics training" then, probably a new career field and, before you know it another General/Flag rank command billet.

Noslack

[CoLawman]

I think it should be noted that two media sources are doing exactly what would be expected. Talk Radio and the Blogosphere. I would give Fox a nod as well for Colonel North and Hannity's reporting.

This topic has been discussed at length by Hugh Hewitt these past couple of days. I agree with him. The Bloggers are populated by actual soldiers doing the work in the sandbox. Most of the military blogs are linked on Hewitt's website; www.hughhewitt.com

Just my jaded opinion.

[x SF med]

Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc

I didn't write it, it was written by a retired USMC Major. I fixed the first one.

Wow, giving up credit, how noble - I guess that's why you're "da King".

No matter what, it's excellent - thanks again. My rant feels like I gave myself a splenectomy, sans anesthesia.

[Team Sergeant]

This only works for the intelligent bipeds the stupid bipeds will continue to lend creditability to any and all MSM that can deliver information. While cnn lost a huge amount of creditability after Tailwind they continue to be the “news” source for the unintelligent. Look at the NY Times, rocked by scandal of bogus reports and reporters they simply shrugged it off and the unintelligent continue to purchase their crap.

My personal thoughts on the subject, if you’re fed crap everyday (such as cnn and the NY Times puts out) then not only will you learn to eat crap but after a long time you’ll learn to enjoy your daily dose of crap. Few people on this green earth possess the intestinal fortitude to say, “I've had enough of this crap”.

When you have a MSM source willing to distribute hearsay and rumor at the drop of a hat you have a very powerful entity indeed. In regards to what the Maj had to say not allowing the MSM to interact with the military is a wonderful idea it has no teeth because it will not be allowed to happen. We’ve opened Pandora’s Box by embedding reporters with military units, we’re not going to change all that now.

Besides who would all the traitors leak classified information to if not for the bottom feeding MSM? How would disgruntled Senators and Congressmen promote their selfserving agendas without the scum of the MSM?

Only the recent invention of Blogs have kept many of the MSM’s outlets on their toes. Many of these individuals are the ones catching the lies put out by the MSM and exposing them as such. I for one am very happy with the FACT that the internet is now the number one news source, which means, to me anyway that more intelligent bipeds are now gathering their daily dose from the internet and not watching the mind numbing cnn or reading the kitty litter liner NY Times.

Ignore them and they will go away. Its time to change the way people think, not what they read.

My .02

TS

[NousDefionsDoc]

Excellent points. I will add:
Politicians live and die by the MSM, there is no way they are going to let the military start a war with the MSM.

Journalism is a liberal art. Liberal being the key word.

I don't get to see it, but perhaps that military channel was an attempt?

I agree about the internet.

I also agree about changing the way people think. The problem is there are just as many bad blogs as good ones. There are thousands that spew the same crap as the MSM - even worse.

And there is a ton of people that simply do not understand the way the world works. The internet has given voice to people that have never left their mom's basement - and yet are somehow experts on geopolitical and military affairs.

I was in a discussion yesterday with a guy that thought that OIF now lasting as long as WWII was some kind of milestone.

The only thing I can see to do is keep hammering away with facts.

[Roguish Lawyer]

The solution is to change the MSM. I actually have a plan for doing this, but I don't want to discuss it in an open forum. Nothing illegal about the plan, but I don't want someone else stealing my idea.

[Snaquebite]

I'd like to hear that...I often wonder how we could return to a supportive and more pro-US media as we had during the World Wars and Korea...I always end up with the conclusion that it's the American people who need to change first....To me that's the biggest difference. During those times the American people would have not supported a media base that contorted and presented the news in a way that was not truly in America's best interest.

[Peregrino]

Reporters don't matter as much as editors. Most reporters will do what they're told - by their editors. Winning the "media battle" requires a spring cleaning of the editorial desks, getting rid of the last 40 years of incest, nepotism, and blatant self-promotion that has given us the current crop of "opinion makers". (I originally wrote "changing of the guard" but in retrospect that's what's gotten us where we are today - see previous comment on incest, nepotism, and blatant self-promotion; all symptoms of an inbred palace guard, e.g. the self-appointed intellectual elite of the current MSM - a cancer festering since early VN.) I would be happy to see a generation of editors who actually understood the 1st Ammendment and acknowledged the difference between liberty and liscense; who wouldn't engage in wholesale treason for self-interest. Given human nature it's probably too much to expect them to differentiate between news and op-ed. The current crop seems to have a self-imposed mandate to "shape public perceptions" for the "greater good". Thank God for the "Blogsphere" and other non-traditional media outlets. I have no problem understanding the MSM's resentment of the proliferation of alternative media and the consequent diminution of their influence. I just can't sympathize. My .02 - Peregrino

[x SF med]

Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer

The solution is to change the MSM. I actually have a plan for doing this, but I don't want to discuss it in an open forum. Nothing illegal about the plan, but I don't want someone else stealing my idea.

Count me in on your plan, Dr. Eeee-Vil. I won't steal it, just help implement it, ok?

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by CoLawman

This topic has been discussed at length by Hugh Hewitt these past couple of days. I agree with him. The Bloggers are populated by actual soldiers doing the work in the sandbox. Most of the military blogs are linked on Hewitt's website; www.hughhewitt.com

Just my jaded opinion.

I read these bloggers, and followed t.f. boggs before, during and since his 2nd deployment. His writings are outstanding.

Here is an exact link as they discuss this subject. There is a series of three 35 minute segments, and definitely worth listening to them IMHO.

(scroll down a bit and click to listen on numbers 4, 5 and 6 in that order)

http://www.townhall.com/TalkRadio/Sh...?RadioShowId=5