text: Chapter 3
  infiltration techniques. Taken together, regular, irregular, and hybrid forces on the current and future
  battlefield employ significant combined arms capabilities that seek to disrupt BCT operations and dislocate
  BCT combined arms capabilities.
  PUBLIC PERCEPTION
  3-35. Enemies recognize the importance of public perception and its impact on the conduct of operations.
  The enemy attempts to influence the will of the American people, key allies, and the populations among
  whom there are conflicts,through propaganda,disinformation,and attacks on U.S. and allies’assets at home
  and abroad. The enemy conducts propaganda and disinformation operations to shape local and international
  public opinion and perception against the U.S., host nation, or coalition forces. The enemy undermines
  ongoing stabilization efforts, marginalizing successes, exploiting instances of friendly force missteps, and
  fabricating or exaggerating friendly force cultural shortcomings. Enemy organizations attempt to manipulate
  local,regional,and worldwide news and social media outlets to achieve their ends and solicit new recruits to
  their cause. For example, mobile phones can activate IEDs with the results captured on digital cameras,
  transmitted via satellite phones,and posted on internet chat rooms for a worldwide audience. Additionally,
  the enemy operating within urban terrain uses tactics that increase the potential for civilian casualties and
  collateral damage to undermine the resolve of both the United Statesand the local populace.
  POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS
  3-36. Politics considerations,and in particular,competition for power,resources,and survival drive conflicts
  and are key to their resolution. Understanding the political dynamics at the local level allows the BCT
  commander and staff to identify the enemy’s strategy, capabilities, and potential weaknesses within the
  political environment. This understanding aids in identifying targets that undermine or counter U.S. and
  coalition efforts that consolidate gains and achieve a sustainable political outcome consistent with U.S. vital
  interests.
  3-37. The enemy exploits societal divisions along political,economic,ethnic,tribal,and religious lines. The
  enemy offers benefits to favored groups and disenfranchises opposing groups within the population to exploit
  societal divisions. These activities protect their sources of strength, consolidate their power, and assist in
  establishing political legitimacy. The enemy also seeks opportunities to exert this legitimacy by filling
  societal roles that U.S. forces or host-nation leaders have failed to address. As enemies and adversaries pursue
  this strategy, they often align with criminal organizations to undermine and attack existing government
  institutions. The resulting corruption,acceptance of illicit activities,and paralysis undermine political reform
  and stability efforts and prevent information gathering. The enemy promotes weaknesses within political
  institutions by disrupting or influencing elections at the local, provincial, and national level by conducting
  attacks on voting sites,intimidating election officials,manipulating political districts,and by backing corrupt
  officials. Additionally,the enemy may attempt to assassinate,abduct,or extort key civic,ethnic,or military
  leaders to undermine security and good governance,degrade friendly forces’morale,garner media attention
  to gain support and sway populace opinion, raise funds, and attract new recruits. Weak government
  institutions allow the enemy and other in state stakeholders the freedom and ability to divert state resources
  without repercussions from law enforcement and rule of law.
  3-38. The enemy’s political subversion campaign seeks to exploit existing social and political weaknesses.
  Degrading public opinion of U.S. and host-nation efforts,disrupting U.S. and local force’s abilities to provide
  essential services and security,and alienating the populace from supporting friendly forces are efforts within
  this campaign. Like the physical capabilities of the enemy,the BCT commander must recognize and counter
  these efforts to maintain the initiative. The commander must visualize the threat in its political context to
  understand the dynamics existing within the area of operations and to determine tactical objectives that lead
  to the achievement of sustainable political outcomes consistent with U.S. vital interests. Understanding the
  political dynamics of a conflict,enables the commander to reassure and protect indigenous populations while
  simultaneously identifying,disrupting,and isolating the enemy to defeat the enemy.