understanding nato strategic communications
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding NATO Strategic Communications
LTC Rita LePage
22 October 2014
2
REFERENCES
• PO (2009) 0141, NATO StratCom Policy, 29 Sep 09
• MCM-0085-2010 Revised, NATO Military Concept for Strategic Communications, 11 Aug 10
• IMSWM-0051-2011, NATO Strategic Communication Military Capability Implementation Plan (CIP), 21 Feb 11
• SHAPE ACO Directive (AD) 95-2, StratCom, 21 May 12
3
Emergence of StratCom in NATO
The Information Age
Global Economy
Interlinked networks
Information is as critical as energy and capital
Global Audience
Real-time 24 X 7 news cycle; Blogs; Satellite TV; Smart Phones
Waning control over information movement / access
Global Society
Information crosses borders and creates groups
Erosion of traditional Nation-state system
4
Emergence of StratCom in NATO
Key Factors
- maturing of internet-based comms
-video, net-based, access
- connectivity: social media as ‘force multiplier’
- ‘actions’ speak louder than ‘words’ philosophy
- understanding actions have comms impact
… therefore…
- need for comms coord function at strategic level
- examine, analyze, coordinate all elements
5
Key Factors (cont’d)
- increasingly complex op environment (COIN)
- increasingly saturated info battle-space - increasingly sophisticated insurgent comms - maturing NATO Info Ops capacity & capability
- maturing NATO PsyOps capacity & capability
Emergence of StratCom in NATO
6
Definition – NATO StratCom Policy
The coordinated and appropriate use of NATO
communications activities and capabilities –
Public Diplomacy, Public Affairs (PA), Military
Public Affairs, Information Operations (Info Ops)
and Psychological Operations (PSYOPS), as
appropriate – in support of Alliance policies,
operations and activities, and in order to
advance NATO’s aims.
~ PO(2009)0141, dated 29 Sep 09
7
Definition: ACO Directive
In cooperation with NATO HQ, the coordinated
and appropriate use of Military PA, Info Ops and
PSYOPS which, in concert with other military
actions and following NATO political guidance,
advances NATO’s aims and operations.
~ AD 095-002, 21 May 12
8
StratCom … what is it?
StratCom is a mechanism of influence!
Influence spectrum ranges from:
“inform” as the most “indirect” form to “coerce” as the most “direct” form of influence
9
StratCom is about…
• understanding & engaging audiences to advance
interests & objectives by affecting perceptions, attitudes,
beliefs & behaviours
• aligning actions, images, words to support policy and
planning, to meet overarching strategic objectives
• all operations and activities have a critical
communication component because everything NATO
says and does, or fails to say and do, has intended and
unintended consequences, with intended and unintended
audiences
10
Required Capabilities
1) Coordinate IA with other military
actions
7) Develop / disseminate messages
based on Narratives
5) Detect, translate effects of SC
efforts of friendly, neutral or
adversarial parties
3) Assess, produce, maintain
knowledge on audiences’
perceptions, etc.
4) Assess, produce, maintain
knowledge on complex social
communication systems like the
Media, SM
6) Estimate effects of actions on
perceptions, etc.
2) Coordinate IA with agencies /
partners
9) Document NATO ops & exercises
and disseminate info in real time
8) Develop / disseminate info to
influence approved audiences
11
StratCom requires…
…an organizational culture attuned to the
information environment and a recognition that
StratCom, as a way to achieve information effects,
consists of many capabilities that are an integral
part of the commander’s arsenal.
12
Information Environment (IE)
The physical, virtual and cognitive space in which
information is collected, processed, perceived,
disseminated and acted upon. It consists of
individuals, organizations and information systems
as well as the information itself.
13
Mindset
Under a StratCom MINDSET, the
success of the mission is directly
related to our level of
understanding of the environment
we are in!
14
Behavioural Dynamics Institute
15
Instruments of Power
U.S. Military Doctrine
INFORMATION
MILITARY
DIPLOMACY ECONOMIC
NATO AJP-3.10
16
“Mechanics” of StratCom
Matching Words and Deeds
D
E
Strategic
Communication
Elements of
National Power
Lethal and
I
M
Nonlethal
S
C
Target
Audience(s)
Policy
Feedback
Feedback
I
I
I
I
17
Comms Disciplines
Info Ops
PsyOps Public Affairs
Intent Coord activities to
create desired effects
on will, understanding
and capability
Influence perceptions,
attitudes and
behaviour
Improve public
awareness &
understanding: enhance
credibility
Audience
Adversaries, potential
adversaries and other
NAC-approved parties.
NAC-approved target
audiences within the
area of operations
Allied, International,
Regional, Local &
Internal
Scope
Kinetic & Non-Kinetic
EW, PsyOps, Mil
Deception, KLE, CNO
NATO owned or
controlled media
outlets and means of
communication
Non-Kinetic Media,
Internet, Internal
Communications
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Communications “then”
Adversary /
Parties to Conflict
Population
Theatre
Own Population,
International Community
Own Soldiers
PD PA
Info Ops
PSYOPS Mil PA
“Social Media”
“Media”
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StratCom “Now”
PD PA
Info Ops
PSYOPS Mil PA
“Social Media”
“Media”
StratCom
Consistent
Communication
20
Coordination
21
AIM of NATO StratCom
Ensure NATO audiences, in nations or within a
region where the Alliance operates, friendly or
adversarial receives truthful, accurate and timely
information, allowing them to understand and
assess NATO’s actions and intentions. This also
seeks to deter aggression and promote NATO’s
aims and objectives …
~ NATO Military Concept for StratCom, 27 Jul 10
22
StratCom Aims
StratCom aims to affect perceptions,
attitudes and beliefs of key publics in support
of Strategic / Political / Military objectives
Is in the domain of the mind, will and emotion
This is the cognitive domain in which
perceptions affect attitudes and behaviours
23
The Pol / Mil Nexus
All aspects of NATO activities have a critical
communications component. StratCom is not an adjunct
activity but an inherent part of the planning and conduct
of all military ops and activities. As part of the
overarching political-military approach to StratCom, the
vision is to put Strategic Communication at the heart of
all levels of military policy, planning and execution…
~ NATO Military Concept for StratCom, 27 Jul 10
24
The Pol / Mil Nexus
Everything NATO and its partners say, do, or fail to do
and say, has intended and unintended consequences.
Every action, word, and image sends a message, and
every member is a messenger.
Every operation, even the smallest tactical engagement
can have StratCom consequences, and unintended
audiences are unavoidable in the global info
environment…
~ NATO Military Concept for StratCom, 27 Jul 10
25
MINDSET
CNN -- U.S. troops pulled down a giant statue of Iraqi Pres Saddam Hussein hours after tanks rolled into Baghdad …Before the statue fell, a Marine draped a U.S. flag over the head of the statue… …a gesture that drew a muted reaction from the crowd, gasps in a Pentagon briefing room, and anger from a commentator on the Arabic news network.
The Guardian -- A soldier climbed up the jib, hooked the
chain around Saddam's neck, and produced a US flag, which
he draped over the Iraqi leader's head.
… an Iraqi commentator on the BBC was aghast, and you
could almost hear the shouts from CentCom's PR
department in Qatar: "Get that flag down, now!"
26
Marine: Flag a symbol of liberation, not occupation
Thursday, April 10, 2003 Posted: 1912 GMT ( 3:12 AM HKT)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. Marine told CNN Thursday
he meant no disrespect when he draped an American flag
over the face of a statue of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
in a central Baghdad square before the Marines tied the
statue to a tank recovery vehicle and pulled it down.
Many Arabs both in and out of Iraq were displeased with the
display Wednesday before the Marines toppled the statue,
saying the act came too close to declaring a U.S. occupation
of Baghdad.
But Cpl. Edward Chin told CNN's Paula Zahn that the display
of the American stars and stripes, and the subsequent
removal of that flag and hanging of a pre-Gulf War Iraqi flag,
were "more like a symbol that we were here to give (Iraqis)
their country back."
Chin: Iraqis were "exhuberant"
VIDEO
CNN's Paula Zahn
talks with Cpl. Edward
Chin, a U.S. Marine
who placed an American flag on a
statue of Saddam Hussein.
27
Military Implications
Military planners seeking to integrate StratCom
into operational planning from the earliest stages,
as called for in the NATO StratCom Policy, must
also consider the communication impact of the
critical operational non-lethal and lethal elements
of military ops…
~ NATO Military Concept for StratCom, 27 Jul 10
28
Military Planning
The major challenge is to expand the planning
culture so that non-kinetic tools and the
cognitive domain are consistently and
completely addressed in every planning
problem and throughout each phase of
execution.
29
SUMMARY
StratCom is a mindset and a process
StratCom is COMMAND LED!
StratCom is a fundamental and inseparable aspect of
planning – narrative could (should?) lead operational
planning & execution
All mil actions & words effect the Info Environment –
the environment in which perceptions matters and
StratCom is key
Words and actions must be consistent (say-do gap)
30
Commander Quotes on StratCom:
Adm Mike Mullen, Chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff
“We’ve come to believe that messages are something we
can launch downrange like a rocket, something we can
fire for effect …
We need to worry a lot less about HOW to communicate
our actions and much more about WHAT our actions
communicate.”
Questions?