CNN Effect: A Direct Path to the American Center of Gravity

Todays military operational commander finds himself confronted with a wide array of politically sensitive and often complex missions covering the whole spectrum of what has come to be known as Military Operations Other Than War. With recent technological advances made in the field of global communications, field reporters wielding lightweight cameras and satellite dishes scattered throughout the battlefield bring the conduct of these operations to the attention of the entire world. The success of many of these conflicts ultimately being determined by a host of political parameters based on perceptions of justice and fairness and the attendant cost in terms of human lives or collateral damage. Believing the way to American decision-making to be through the media and public opinion via the CNN Effect, adversaries of the United States should be expected to proactively pursue perception based propaganda campaigns to offset superior US military capabilities. Whenever American forces are committed to a conflict, the operation commander must be able to clearly convey and defend the fundamental principles and rationale of his actions, or risk losing world and national support, and ultimately the war.