By Brett Daniel Shehadey
Special Contributor for In Homeland Security
The Islamic State, even more than other jihadist movements, is part of a larger international jihadist revolutionary process. Its sole success depends on using its weaknesses as strengths and its enemy’s strengths as weaknesses. It then attempts to defeat its opponents through stratagem over time—mind and mobility over weaponry and columns—the classic guerrilla formula. At some point, however, the guerrilla becomes a victim of his own success, swelling the fighting ranks and land seizures, that they become a more conventional and central in organization. In other words, their new found strengths can now be exploited as weakness from new guerrilla movements or what used to be called counter-revolutionaries.
Much of it is the same old game with new technology, new ideology, some new rules of uncertainty about players and location and new terminology—but the Islamic State is an educated and experienced player of history. They have taken notes from historic Muslim and non-Muslim asymmetric warfare sources alike. They lack experience as a conventional fighting force and political ruler but seem eager to officially become one. It does not have to be a total loss that the enemy has the momentum in warfare, if such momentum can be redirected or substantially atomized.
Some of the recommendations below are already catching on within the coalition echelon, but many are slow to fire-up or lacking in commitment. Other recommendations are unfortunately not taken seriously at all but remain central for any true victory against the Islamic State.
At the present, the Islamic State can be characterized as such:
Is consolidating into a formal theocratic entity. It draws fanaticism from all over the world but essentially unites them under an ideological thrill of hope. (TIP: Exploit their new political vulnerabilities through asymmetric movements at the local grass-roots).
Is in possession of large stockpiles of conventional weaponry, fighters in uniform with flag and facilities. (TIP: Destroy their weapons, vehicles, munitions, basis, etc. using a combination of airpower, paramilitary and local guerrilla force).
Performing public executions and genocidal campaigns against their enemies. (TIP: Use international and regional players to expose all deplorable acts. Recruit all threatened peoples by arming them and using them as proxy agents, including: Muslims of multiple sects, the Kurds, Christians and Yazidis. Play on justice and survival).
Preying on women and children. There exists a substantial slave market and sex-trafficking racket within the Islamic State. They also manipulate and brainwash the youth into the ranks by terror and graduated crimes against humanity. (TIP: Build up networks of women and children as intelligence assets and resistance fighters—both are essential victims that must be empowered and supported).
Exploiting America’s visibility in the conflict. Since the start of the offensive against the Islamic State began in August, the enemy has gained ground and followers in spite of loss. They do this by using the presence of American armed forces to draw in more jihadists. (TIP: The U.S. must adapt quickly. America’s security forces should employ a ‘near but far’ strategy. Utilizing regional foreign military assets is extremely important part of this process, but the U.S. must become operationally invisible and at the same time gain greater efficiency at attacking a “political’ enemy from within its borders as the central campaign objective. The national tools of conventional diplomacy and conventional military forces must take a back seat to the crafts of intelligence and psychological warfare).
Still full of hatred, cruelty and excitement. (TIP: Use their emotions and thirst for blood against them. The message of why the ‘Islamic State’ is un-Islamic and why they are evil can never be stressed enough during this war. At the other end of the spectrum, massive psychological operations will be the most important factor needed to rip them apart from the population and cannibalize their success pathways).
Produce nothing positive. The Islamic State’s entire existence is predatory; and self-serving specifically, they require pillage and raid tactics to sustain capabilities and promote objectives. (TIP: Turn the enemy into us by shutting down the negative elements of their physiology. Treat international jihadists like physically sick individuals or zombies with a contagion. Demonstrate compassionate technological superiority by civilizing the area through expedient pacification operations using biotechnology and other methods to reduce hormone imbalances and aggressive genetic triggers [e.g. testosterone replacement; and gene mutations such as MAOA and CDH13]).
Lastly, in spite of similarities with guerrilla tactics hijacked from the past, the strategy of constructing a caliphate and the reality of an international jihadist revolution sweeping the globe, all indications inform us that any real strategic approach against them must be radically different. While recognizing the advantages to some old tactics, there are many new ones that are going completely unnoticed or used that could turn the tide. And we have the means today to do just that.
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