text: Comprehensive Tactical Planning in Counterinsurgency
  HN Population
  4-46. Themes that target the HN populace should focus on rallying them against insurgent activities and
  highlight successes of the HN government and HN security forces. Both themes will reinforce legitimacy.
  These themes generally build cohesiveness among the population and counter insurgent divisive themes.
  Cohesive themes highlight—
  • Commonality of ultimate goals.
  • Commonality of labor, economic, and material problems.
  • Ability to separate facts from perceptions and solve important problems.
  • Ethnic similarities and common origins.
  • Religion and social similarities.
  • Traditional or historical evidence of unity.
  • Failure of traditional solutions accompanied by awareness of a need for new solutions.
  • Patriotism and nationalism.
  • Ability to provide information to the government without fear of reprisal.
  Insurgent
  4-47. Insurgents manage perceptions through propaganda and disinformation. Rarely do they have to
  tell the truth. In technologically advanced insurgencies, filming an attack may be as important as the attack
  itself. Therefore, themes aimed at insurgents must divide insurgent groups into smaller groups and
  separate the insurgents from the population. Also, themes should counter insurgent propaganda. In many
  successful information engagement plans, reconciliation and amnesty for certain insurgents have been key
  components.
  • Divisive theme categories.
  (cid:131) Political, social, economic, and ideological differences among elements of the insurgents.
  (cid:131) Leadership rivalries within the insurgent movement.
  (cid:131) Portrait of insurgents as criminals, inept, and counter to the goals of the HN populace.
  (cid:131) Danger of betrayal from among the insurgents.
  (cid:131) Harsh living conditions of insurgents.
  (cid:131) Selfish motivation of opportunists supporting the insurgents.
  (cid:131) Separate foreign fighters from domestic groups using patriotism and nationalism, when
  appropriate.
  (cid:131) Separate public from the perception that insurgents are noble.
  (cid:131) Public outcry.
  (cid:131) Reconciliation or amnesty.
  • Countering insurgent propaganda
  (cid:131) Proactive and designed to neutralize the psychological impact of future attacks.
  (cid:131) Acknowledge the possibility, even likelihood, of future attacks.
  (cid:131) Criminal attacks against HN population.
  (cid:131) Foreign ties and leadership.
  (cid:131) Highlight Insurgent ineptitude.
  Public Affairs
  4-48. This is a commander’s responsibility. Its purpose is to proactively inform and educate through
  public information, command information, and direct community engagement. Public affairs have a
  statutory responsibility to factually and accurately inform various publics without intent to propagandize
  or manipulate public opinion. Public affairs facilitates a commander’s obligation to support informed US
  citizenry, US Government decision makers, and as tactical requirements may dictate non-US audiences.
  Public affairs and other information engagement tasks must be synchronized to ensure consistency,
  command credibility, and operations security as part of the planning process. (For more information, see
  JP 3-61, AR 360-1, FM 46-1 and FM 3-61.1.)