INFORMATION OPERATIONS AND ASYMMETRIC WARFAREARE WE READY.pdf

USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT INFORMATION OPERATIONS AND ASYMMETRIC WARFARE…ARE WE READY? by LTC LaWarren V. Patterson United States Army COL Richard Jones Project Advisor The views expressed in this academic research paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or any of its agencies. U.S. Army War College CARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA 17013 ii ABSTRACT AUTHOR: LTC LaWarren V. Patterson TITLE: Information Operations and Asymmetric Warfare…Are We Ready? FORMAT: Strategy Research Project DATE: 09 April 2002 PAGES:29 CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified Events of Sept 11th , 2001 have made clear one inescapable fact. Because of rapid advances in technology, particularly in the information arena, global communications now enable us to hear and see first hand issues, events and concerns from around the world. These in turn raise passions and compel people to rethink their own closely held beliefs, prej udices and hatreds, and in some cases morphing into actions such as espionage, sabotage or terrorism. Information Operations and future Asymmetric Warfare will have a major impact on the U.S. Army’s ability to remain a viable warfighting entity as well as our simple survivability against future adversaries. Currently, the Army’s Field Manual FM 100-6 (dated August 1996) is the most up-to-date guide on Information Operations available to the rank and file field soldier and leader. While at the same time, the Army’s newes