Title Countering radicalization and recruitment to Al-Qaeda : fighting the war of deeds / Paul Kamolnick

Published Carlisle Barracks, PA : Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College Press, 2014

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Description 1 online resource (xii, 156 pages) : illustrations Series The Letort papers Letort papers. Contents Introduction -- Al Qaeda : an evolving threat, policy, and strategy -- Three strategic objectives. Attacking terrorists and their organizations -- Protection against and preparation for terrorist attacks -- Preventing the continued growth of Islamist terrorism -- Message resonance and U.S. credibility in the Muslim world : USG deeds, actions, and policies as communication -- Changing deeds and enhancing message resonance. The limits of public diplomacy and strategic communication : or, the "lipstick on pigs" problem -- Concluding thoughts : formidable challenges, formidable opportunities -- Challenging deeds : countering Al-Qaeda's terrorist propaganda. The vital function of propaganda in AQ's anti-American terrorism -- The terrorist quadrangle : the role and function of terrorist propaganda as communication -- The critical function of counterpropaganda in countering insurgent terrorism -- How counterpropaganda differs from propaganda or PSYOP -- Elements of a comprehensive USG counterpropaganda offensive. Influence operations, contemporary war, and warfare -- From M, to diplomatic, informational military, and economic (DIME), to DIMEFIL, to DICEFILM : on the eight instruments of national power -- Countering AQ propaganda : the primacy of the war of deeds -- Implications for strategy. Ways, means, and ends -- Conclusion Summary This Letort Paper proposes that actions, policies, and deeds -- those of the U.S. Government and al-Qaeda -- be leveraged as a means of delegitimizing al-Qaeda terrorist propaganda. Two chief fronts -- changing deeds and challenging deeds -- is proposed. Changing deeds requires that the United States carefully and systematically examine its own foreign and military policies and their specific consequences for the Arab and Muslim world. Challenging deeds comprises systematically countering with evidence and fact al-Qaeda's two greatest propagandistic fabrications: that the United States is a crusader at war with Islam, and that al-Qaeda is the vanguard defender of a besieged and oppressed Muslim Umma. Provocative at times, and even controversial in its willingness to reconsider long-standing U.S. Government policies, this Letort Paper is adamant that it is not spin, empty platitudes, and "lipstick on pigs," but actual deeds, that are our surest bet for defeating this ignoble adversary Notes "June 2014." Paper version available for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 91-156) Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (SSI, viewed June 19, 2014) Subject Qaida (Organization) SUBJECT Qaida (Organization) fast Subject Terrorism -- Prevention -- Government policy -- United States Radicalism -- Prevention -- Government policy -- United States Propaganda, Arab. Influence (Psychology) Terrorists -- Recruiting. Terrorists -- Recruiting -- Prevention Diplomatic relations Influence (Psychology) Propaganda, Arab Terrorism -- Prevention -- Government policy Terrorists -- Recruiting SUBJECT United States -- Foreign relations -- Arab countries Arab countries -- Foreign relations -- United States Subject Arab countries United States Form Electronic book Author Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute, publisher. Army War College (U.S.). Press, publisher.

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