Coalition partners work toward increasing coordination in the information war against Daesh
BY JOHN REDFIELD, U.S. Central Command Public Affairs
Emphasizing the importance of fighting Daesh in the information environment, 19 countries sent 65 representatives to a coalition military conference May 3-4, 2016, in London. The focus was on strategic communications efforts to combat the terrorist group’s information campaign.
This first-of-its-kind conference, sponsored by the Combined Forces Command (CFC) and hosted by the British Ministry of Defence, was designed to enhance the coalition’s network of information operations and public affairs professionals with necessary guidance, capabilities and resources to seize the initiative and maintain momentum against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
The conference drew the participation of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and
15 other countries in Europe, Asia and Australia.
At this point in the overall campaign against Daesh, pressure on the terrorist group has never been greater, Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of CFC and U.S. Central Command, said in a video message to conference participants. “Every day we see the benefits of the broad coalition we have assembled. The coalition is rich in unique and diverse capabilities,” the general said. “We must understand all these capabilities and bring them to bear against Daesh.”
Votel added that he sees an opportunity for coalition communicators. “I believe we have the ability to enhance our credibility through key leader engagements at the local, regional and national levels. Furthermore, I believe we can persuade and influence specific enemy and at-risk audiences through information operations capabilities. Finally, I believe we can inform and educate broader international publics through invigorated and expanded series of public affairs initiatives.”
In addition to the participating nations’ representatives, conference attendees came from civil and military organizations that coordinate with military communicators, including the Global Coalition’s Communication Cell, embedded in the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. The head of that cell, Dan Chugg, discussed his organization’s efforts against Daesh:
“To defeat Daesh in the propaganda war, the cell manages campaign activity that aims to hasten the collapse of the Daesh ‘brand,’ targeting the group’s claims to statehood, success and supremacy. The cell seeks to achieve this by working in partnership with others, sharing best practices and pooling resources. Campaigns in Iraq and Syria provide testimony on the truth of life under Daesh. Working with and through credible voices, we are leaving no space uncontested; targeting key audiences; revealing Daesh’s failed proposition; and emboldening and empowering moderate voices. The overarching narrative is that Daesh is failing on their own terms. By defining and highlighting Daesh failures, and by making clear that only Daesh is responsible for its actions, we will make the Daesh ‘brand’ less appealing. Conversely, we should not concentrate too much on coalition success, as this risks playing into Daesh’s narrative of victimhood.”
Besides the cell in London, other organizations participating in the conference were the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve and the U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center. Special Envoy and Coordinator of the Global Engagement Center Michael Lumpkin addressed participants via video teleconference, discussing ways in which his organization coordinates, integrates and synchronizes U.S. messaging efforts against Daesh. He highlighted that one way in which we must combat Daesh’s effort to crowdsource terrorism is to emphasize efforts that seek to stem the group’s recruitment efforts.
While the conference featured some large-group sessions, the majority of the time was spent in smaller groups focused on information operations and public affairs issues. Royal Netherlands Army Lt. Col. Remy Van Strien led the public affairs syndicate discussions and called the conference a “unique opportunity to discuss face-to-face with the coalition communicators, without the limitations we have using email and video teleconference. In this setting, talking about developments, opportunities and limitations stimulates the mutual understanding between the partner nations and thus strengthens our network. This was a good step forward developing our common effort from information sharing into real coordination: many voices — one message!”
Though the conference in London was the first of its kind, it is not intended to be the last. If your nation has an interest in participating in CFC’s strategic communication efforts against Daesh and future conferences on this subject, please contact Lt. Col. Curt Kellogg at CFC/U.S. Central Command headquarters at curtis.j.kellogg.mil@mail.mil