LETTERS

摘要

Masam, as a proponent of 'Military Influence' I read Alexander Alderson's article, 'Influence, the Indirect Approach and Manoeuvre' (Vol. 157, No. 1) with great interest. However, with all due respect to its distinguished author, I feel it rather missed the point. Antony Robbins told us: 'If you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten'. I fear Colonel Alderson may inadvertently be steering us down that route. The RAND Corporation recently reported on US Information Operations and PsyOps efforts in Afghanistan 2001-10, calling US attempts to win the support of the Afghan population a failure. This is true; although RAND's anodyne conclusions missed the key point: in 1916 the RFC flew Sopwith Pups over the Western Front and horses transported men and equipment; in 2012 the RAF flies Typhoons and helicopters are today's horses.