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material is visual as well as written and spoken. It thus appears more real and
legitimate. 109
The important phrase in the definition of insurgency for purposes of
this article is “a protracted politico-military struggle designed to weaken
government control and legitimacy while increasing insurgent control.” It is
important because it may no longer be true that insurgencies are protracted in
the old sense of the term. Rather, the period of time needed to wage conflict is
cut, due to efficiencies offered by the Internet. The insurgency that developed
in Vietnam in the 1960s took years to develop. When the US moved into
Vietnam in 1964, it still took another four years for the media to really impact
public opinion. When the US moved into Iraq in March 2003, it fought a
totalitarian government with little to offer in the way of horizontal
communications since it demanded total control. Now a year later, insurgents
are attacking coalition forces at a rate of fifty or more incidents a day across
Iraq, and the cause of the attack, as well as the casualty figures, are being
manipulated by the insurgents at will across the Internet.
The use of propaganda on the Internet strengthens an insurgent’s
control over its followers and over governments by offsetting official
statements through the use of pictures and mass mobilization. Insurgents
request some type of action if demands are not met. Items such as photos of
beheadings on the Internet grab the attention of potential combatants on both
sides of the fight. Control may lie in understanding who delivered an acceptable
message to the target audience first or in the most culturally appropriate way.
Insurgents’ use of the Internet weakens government control by undermining the
perception or position of legitimacy in regard to ruling authority. If one cannot
protect its citizens, then it is not a legitimate authority in the Arab world. 110
For the insurgent, the Internet allows for the mobilization of all the
various members of populations around the globe with similar grievances or
like causes. They are able to unite in chat rooms, exchange opinions and plans,
and never meet except virtually in a relatively short period of time. The Internet
also allows for Cyber Age insurgents to use their guerilla tactics in an
electronic way. These techniques are at risk in the same way as past insurgent
actions. Insiders or captured computer hard drives inform law enforcement
officials in the same manner that covert operators or captured documents did in
the past. The problem for law enforcement officials is to maintain the pace of
109 The author would like to thank Dr. Jacob Kipp, FMSO, for providing this
information during review of this chapter.
110 The author would like to thank Dr. Cindy Ayers, US Army War College, for
providing this information during review of this chapter.
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