Blogs and Military Information Strategy

This article explores the possibility of incorporating blogs and blogging into military information strategy, primarily as a tool for influence. Towards that end, the authors examine the value of blogs as targets of andor platforms for military influence operations and supporting intelligence operations. To evaluate the Information Operations IO potential for blogs, they seek answers to two questions 1 Are blogs truly influential, and if so, in what way and 2 Does the information environment support blogging as part of an information campaign One of the significant limitations of this article, as an initial foray into military use of the blogosphere, is that much of the information available concerns American blogs, run by Americans, largely for an American audience. Military use of the blogosphere must necessarily focus on foreign blogs, bloggers, and audiences. However, because some factors, such as the scale-free nature of the Internet and the psychological basis of influence are universals, the authors hope to lay a general basis for military use of the blogosphere that can be adapted to specific tactical circumstances by information operators.