The Military Mind at War: A PSYOP Commander’s Strategies for the Post-Afghan Battlefield

In Afghanistan in 2010, The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is taking on a second surge and has had a change in strategy for the third time since it begun battling an evolving insurgency that is gaining momentum taking hold in regions in theater. Meanwhile, mission support from the local population in Afghanistan and from the nations making up the coalition is waning. While a more realistic goal appears to be accepted by leadership of NATO members for what entails mission accomplishment, a broader search for the most relevant and adaptive strategies to deal with extremists and terrorists continues.

Both military and civilian leaders need to better grasp the implications of the many strategies that have been implemented and proposed for providing security in Afghanistan. Political context of indigenous and international populations must also be considered. Leaders and decision makers need to learn to communicate in a more concise way with key audiences both at home and internationally.

In this webinar, featuring Lieutenant-Colonel Bruno Vanasse, Former Deputy Director for Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) with the Canadian Army, highlights the interaction between strategy and communications taking into account lessons observed from the realities on the ground in Afghanistan. More specifically, the essentials for domestic support and support from abroad will be detailed, and how leaders both military and civilian can deal more effectively in the future with the political and psychological dimensions of war from foreign asymmetric threats. In order to accomplish this, several military operational and strategic initiatives currently being enacted or proposed for in Afghanistan will be examined and analyzed, in relation to the threat posed by the foes in the region. Finally, LtCol Vanasse will offer his own views on what a realistic security strategy in Afghanistan should entail.

Participants will gain from leading-edge thought process on the interface of strategy and communications in modern warfare taken from the Afghan conflict.

Additionally, key takeaways of this webinar are:

• Gain understanding about the multiple strategies that have been used, proposed and desired for stabilizing Afghanistan
• Increase your awareness of the implications of different approaches in the context of the Afghan political climate
• Identify the strategic and communication requirements for support both domestic and abroad
• Discover ways to deal more effectively with the political and psychological dimensions of conflict emanating from foreign asymmetric threats