U.S. Still Playing Catch Up In Information Operations.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew

It has been more than 20 years since 9/11, when the United States acknowledged that it had allowed its once formidable information warfare and strategic messaging capabilities to lapse into a state of decline.

At the time, al-Qaida was proving on a daily basis that it could effectively use modern day tools such as the internet to spread its anti-Western propaganda. The U.S. government had little capacity to counter radical Islam's messages after allowing its skills to atrophy at the end of the Cold War.

Two decades later, the Joint Chiefs of Staff's point man on cybersecurity and information operations said little progress has been made.

"I'm not sure how much has changed, other than we continue to watch... our adversaries demonstrate tremendous competence in this area," Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall, director of command, control, communications and computers/cyber and chief information officer, Joint Staff, J6, said at the National Defense Industrial Association's Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict conference held in Washington, D.C.

The last decade has only seen the problem worsen as social media grew in popularity and was then used by Russia to interfere in U.S. elections.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., said, "We used to do this quite well. This was our mission--winning hearts and minds across the world. That's how we fought the Cold War. That's how we fought communism. And the reason we were so effective at it, quite frankly, is because here at home, we understood it. It was very clear to me growing up that living behind the Iron Curtain would be really the worst of all worlds."

Gavin Sundwall, a career foreign service officer in the office of policy, planning and resources for public diplomacy at the State Department, said, "The competition is fierce. Other actors, China, Russia, Iran are actively competing for control of information environments, and they're well funded. They're putting a lot of money into it precisely because--in the big scheme of things--it's low cost."

Sundwall, who recently served in Australia as minister counselor for public affairs and leader of strategy and affairs, saw firsthand how China was spreading its message throughout the region.

"This is low cost, high value for them," he added.

A State Department strategic resource review recently concluded that U.S. global competitors China and Russia combined invested significantly more than the United States in the competition for public influence...