What is Strategic Information Warfare? The Russian model

What is Strategic Information Warfare?
by Joel Harding

If I follow the Russian model (the US has no model), it is a whole of nation effort.
Interesting question. A professional and personal friend from South Africa posed this question to me, today. 

Right now the US and Russia are in a state of information warfare, in my opinion, but there is no accepted definition of information warfare, let alone strategic information warfare. 

 I have seen recent quotes, saying the United States needs to fight Russian Information Warfare, from VP Biden and Secretary Kerry, so I have some impetus here.

What is Strategic Information Warfare? If I follow the Russian model (the US has no model), it is a whole of nation effort. 

Igor Panarin wrote and published an eight point model in 2008, found on page 304 of Tim Thomas’ book “Recasting the Red Star“. This strongly alludes to what Russia is doing today.

I’ve shortened the titles (long version at the end with explanations for each, straight from Tim’s book):

• Public Diplomacy
• National Leadership
• Media
• Online and Internet
• Crisis Action Center
• Counter Foreign IW
• NGOs (outside Russia)
• Training

Here are Panarin’s full eight points.

1.Council for Public Diplomacy: 

- would include members of the state structure, media, business, political parties, NGO’s, and so on headed by Prime Minister Putin.

2.Advisor to the President of Russia for Information and Propaganda Activities:

- would coordinate activities of the information analysis units of the President’s administration, the Security Council, and several other ministries.

3.State Foreign Affairs Media Holding Company (All-Russia State
Television and Radio Broadcasting Company): 

- would be subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the American -experience can be copied.

4.State Internet Holding Company: 

- would create a domestic media
holding company for the publishing of books, video films, video games, and the like for dissemination on the Internet.

5.Information Crisis Action Center: 

- would enable the authorities to present commentaries on unfolding events in a timely manner to the world information arena. “Homework assignments” must be readied in advance.

6.Information Countermeasure System: 

- would create a system of resources to counter information warfare operations by Russia’s geopolitical enemies.

7.Non-Governmental Organization (NGO): 

- would provide a network of Russian organizations operating on CIS, EU, and USA territories.

8.System for Training Personnel for Conducting Information Warfare: 

- would define which institutions will train individuals in this topic. Most likely candidates at the highest level are the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Civil Service Academy; and at the middle level, Moscow State University, the Higher Economic School, and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

– Source: Timothy L. Thomas, “Recasting the Red Star”, 2011.

Read more: toinformistoinfluence.com