Infowarriors Ensure Local Citizenry Gets the Message

摘要

Information operations have been integral to every phase and every stage of the planning and execution of operation Enduring Freedom, according to a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) official. When the conflict commenced, information operations began with the introduction of public information designed to achieve a tactical or even strategic goal. CENTCOM launched its Afghanistan operations with leaflet showers accompanied by humanitarian airdrops. These airdrops, which consisted of daily rations, coincided with the onset of the bombing cam- paign on October 7, 2001. Planners knew that the small amount of daily rations distributed in these airdrops would not make a significant impact on hunger in that war-torn country, the CENTCOM official continues. The primary purpose of the food drop was to establish that the United States was at war with the al Qaida terror organization and the Taliban leadership, which had abused Afganistan's citizenry for six years, and sought no harm for the people of Afghanistan. The humanitarian aid was secondary. This food aid effort eventually came full circle in December when the U.S.-assisted rout of the Taliban enabled the world food pro- gram to deliver 115,000 metric tons of humanitarian relief to Afghanistan.