The Military Mind at War: A PSYOPS Commander’s Strategies for the Post-Afghan Battlefield
In 2010 in Afghanistan, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is undergoing a second surge and at least a third change in strategy since its involvement to battle an evolving insurgency that is spreading and increasingly taking hold. At the same time support for the mission from populations in Afghanistan and in coalition nations is waning. While a greater sense of realism appears to be settling in NATO members’ capitals for what can be accomplished in Afghanistan, the wider search for more relevant and adaptive strategies to deal with Islamist terrorism continues.
Leaders and practitioners, both military and civilian, need to better understand the implications of the multiple strategies that have been used, proposed and sought for stabilising Afghanistan. Also, in the political context of indigenous and international populations involved, they need to learn to craft adapted strategies and related narratives to better communicate with key target audiences at home and abroad.
This webinar, with Lieutenant-Colonel Bruno Vanasse, Former Deputy Director for Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) in the Canadian Army, focuses on the interaction between strategy and communications in light of lessons observed from the mission in Afghanistan. More specifically, the requirements for support at home and abroad will be highlighted, and how both military and civilian leaders can more effectively in the future deal with the political and psychological dimensions of conflict emanating from foreign asymmetric threats. For this, several military operational and strategic approaches currently being pursued or proposed for the conflict in Afghanistan will be exposed and analysed, in relation with the threat posed by the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Finally, LtCol Vanasse will present his own views on what a realistic stabilisation strategy for Afghanistan should look like.
Participants will benefit from leading-edge thinking on the interface of strategy and communications in modern warfare learned from the Afghan conflict.
Additionally, key takeaways of this seminar are that you will:
- Gain knowledge on the multiple strategies that have been used, proposed and sought for stabilising Afghanistan
- Increase your understanding of the implications of different approaches in the context of the Afghan political culture
- Identify the strategic and communication requirements for support both at home and abroad
- Discover key ideas to deal more effectively in the future with the political and psychological dimensions of conflict emanating from foreign asymmetric threats
Presenters:
