Foundations of Effective Influence Operations

Interest has increased regarding capabilities that may allow the United States to effectively influence the attitudes and behavior of particular foreign audiences while minimizing or avoiding combat. This increase is largely the result of (1) the post-9/11 realization that the U.S. image in much of the Muslim world may be facilitating the mobilization and recruitment of global jihadists and (2) the difficulties that the United States has encountered in promoting stability and political reconciliation in post-war Iraq. Larson et al. aim to assist the U.S. Army in understanding “influence operations,” whose purpose is to persuade foreign audiences. The authors identify approaches, methodologies, and tools that may be useful in planning, executing, and assessing influence operations.