November 28, 2007

NATO To Fight Youtube Information War (updated)

Finally finally finally!!!!!! I thought they would never get it. I mean we've only been screaming for this for three or four years now.

Via CNN: KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CNN) -- NATO is acknowledging YouTube as its new battleground in the six-year war on Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, as the military alliance posts formerly secret surveillance and attack video.

The strategy aims to counter years of propaganda video posted on the Internet showing Taliban attacks on NATO forces which fighters use to claim that NATO's position in the Afghan war is deteriorating.

"The Taliban, who are literally cave-dwellers, are doing better than we are on a key battleground -- and that's video," said NATO spokesman James Appathurai. "They deploy with videographers. We don't. They have DVDs out in an hour, we don't."

Wielding video cameras like weapons, fighters quickly upload images of their attacks and create a valuable morale booster for their supporters.

Now, after much internal debate, NATO has begun declassifying and posting top secret combat video on YouTube and other Web platforms to try and beat the Taliban at its own game.

I only have one problem with it. Getting your information out is all well and good. But control of the cyber battle-space must also include efforts to thwart the enemy's ability to distribute it's message.

Offensive teams must be formed to flag links on file sharing sites, flag youtube videos, take down enemy websites and other distribution points.

Impossible you say? Well not really. I just knocked off one website with a single email. It can be done and it can be won. It's not even that hard.

Update: Oh and I forgot the most effective methods. Intelligence to locate the media cells. Then soldiers and police to go and arrest the online terrorist cells and take their equipment.

Two cells in found in Iraq resisted, fortunately, and got themselves killed. I think dead works pretty well at stopping them. It is war after all.

Hat Tip: Dirty Blonde.

Update: The NATO Videos are available for download here.

Hat Tip: Garduneh Mehr.

Update II: Here is the website of a private group dedicated to removing terrorist propaganda from youtube.

http://muninn-quotheraven.blogspot.com/2007/07/youtube-smackdown-how-to-guide.html

Hat Tip: Allahakchew.

I've a uploaded a couple of the vids to youtube. Below the fold.