By force or by fraud: optimizing U.S. information strategy with deception
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Authors
Flaherty, Ryan Q.
Phillips, Andrew R.
Subjects
deception
MILDEC
influence
psychological operations
PSYOP
MISO
information operations
IO
counterinsurgency
special operations forces
game theory
analytical hierarchy process
non-state actors
human domain
Dhofar Rebellion
Irish War of Independence
Israel- Lebanon Conflict
Vietnam War
information age
information strategy
MILDEC
influence
psychological operations
PSYOP
MISO
information operations
IO
counterinsurgency
special operations forces
game theory
analytical hierarchy process
non-state actors
human domain
Dhofar Rebellion
Irish War of Independence
Israel- Lebanon Conflict
Vietnam War
information age
information strategy
Advisors
Rothstein, Hy S.
Date of Issue
2016-06
Date
16-Jun
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Military deception (MILDEC) operations have a long and illustrious place in America's battlefield history. To great effect, MILDEC has enabled countless victories in every U.S. conflict since the Revolutionary War. However, the United States has allowed its deception capability to atrophy. Possible explanations for our MILDEC divestiture range from structural insufficiencies to an ethical framework that emphasizes truth and transparency. Simultaneously, the onset of the Information Age has leveled the playing field between state and non-state actors (NSA) and proved that lasting victory cannot be achieved by force alone. Yet, due in part to the difficulty involved in quantifiably measuring information strategy, the contemporary military's acceptance and understanding of information warfare has been limited. This necessitates the re-examination of U.S. information strategy formulation to address more effectively the challenges and complexities encountered in the human domain. To overcome this impediment, this thesis examines the intangible aspects of information warfare and proposes a structured decision-making tool capable of generating precise computations of optimal information strategies. By Force or by Fraud is a quantitative assessment of MILDEC's utility on the modern battlefield that is qualitatively tested against historic cases of information warfare.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Defense Analysis (DA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.