PSYOP: Symbols in Warfare

[Monsoon65]

Initially, what we were broadcasting was the "surrender or we'll kill you" messages. Usually speeches from the UN or Bush, images of Iraqi troops being taken care of during the First Gulf War.

Later on, the message was the "winning the hearts and minds". US troops helping the people, building hospitals, schools, etc.

Now, it's "trust your own Iraqi security forces", pride in their own troops/military and their accomplishments, turning in terrorists.

There really didn't seem to be much Islam involved in the broadcasts at all.

[dedeppm]

I was fortunate enough to take an upper-level course on Iraqi politics last semester taught by a dr. adeed dawisha (if the name sounds familiar, he's occasionally on the news as an Iraq specialist, and his aunt was on the news awhile back telling anti-war protestors to "go to hell" for not supporting the prez) and he touched on something that i think applies here, in a convoluted sort of way.

Saddam was continually searching for ways to "frame" himself or his actions to his own people in order to maintain their support. He sold the war against Iran by emphasizing it as an Arab struggle against the Persians, ignoring the religious element completely because the enemy was practicing the same religion. This was easy for him to do, seeing as he was very secular. A few years later, he framed the gulf war as one os Islam against the infidels, and even began closing nightclubs and bars in Baghdad to appease religious conservatives. Finally, during the rebellion and the years following, he emphasized tribal identities in order to hang onto power.

I agree with Col. Moroney then that we can't find a "one-size fits all" approach to psyops or CA. I think this demonstrates the need to adapt to different situations with different approaches.