Information Operations in Afghanistan from 2001-2012
Date
2015-01-28
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Abstract
This thesis describes and analyses Taliban and coalition information operations related to the Afghanistan war between the years 2001 and 2012. Academic literature is reviewed and analyzed, as well as coalition and Taliban information products.
The thesis examines the nature of counterinsurgency and information operations in an evolving media environment. The messages, mediums used to deliver information products, strategy, posture, organization, and media engagement of both combatants are analyzed to evaluate their contribution to the combatants’ respective influence and political goals.
This thesis finds that the Taliban had a superior understanding of the target audiences, developed messages with greater resonance, and delivered them more effectively than the coalition was able to do. It also contends that the Taliban’s strategy, organization and capacity for information operations allowed it to out maneuver the coalition on the information battleground. This thesis finds that the Taliban was able to conduct more effective and influential information operations than the coalition.
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Keywords
Military Studies, Political Science, Political Science--International Law and Relations
Citation
Stephenson, M. (2015). Information Operations in Afghanistan from 2001-2012 (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26526