Sir,
The military thinks in terms of four levels — strategic, technical (acquisition), operational or theater, and tactical. Have you addressed in any detail how OSINT can enhance military decision-making at each of those four levels?
You keep referring to a Smart Nation. In one interview with IEEE you have a very interesting graphic of four levels (tactical, technical, operational, strategic) all combining to create a Smart Nation.
Can you expand on these with particular reference to your concept for the military as the core force for Whole of Government strategy, policy, operations, and acquisition?
Dear Colleague,
You appear to be referring to these two graphics and their source:
Steele, Robert. “Open Source Intelligence & Relevant Information: Executive Briefing (CINC Brief),” Tampa, FL: US Special Operations Command, Personal for General Peter Schoomaker, Commander-in-Chief, pending confirmation of exact date.
Steele, Robert with Hal Berghel. “Out of Band: Robert David Steele on OSINT,” IEEE Computer Vol. 47, No. 7, July 2014, pp. 76-81.
I am going to add two more images.
Steele, Robert (2002). The New Craft of Intelligence: Personal, Public, & Political–Citizen’s Action Handbook for Fighting Terrorism, Genocide, Disease, Toxic Bombs, & Corruption, Open Source Solutions, Inc., April 8, 2002.
Graphic: OSINT Global Pyramid from OSIS-X to Intelink-X
You and I have talked off-line and I understand that you are focused on OSINT in support of national security and that India does not employ “intelligence” for domestic fields such as agriculture, education, etcetera. You are focused on training professionals to do OSINT for national security purposes. To that end I recommend the NATO OSINT Handbook that I would love to see you update, and the other OSINT Handbooks form various sources that I point to as well as the Historical Contributions from my 800 or so professional OSINT speakers.
- Handbooks (70)
- Analysis (14)
- C4/JOE/Software (4)
- HUMINT (12)
- Law Enforcement (14)
- Military (19)
- OSINT Generic (19)
- Stabilization (22)
- Threats/Topical (14)
- UN/NGO (22)
- Historic Contributions (253)
- Directory (List) (1)
- History of Opposition (14)
The core point for me — and I recognize that this does not fit with the totality of your context — is that OSINT is not only vital for the miliitary in relation to each of the four levels — the first graphic is where General Peter Schoomaker, USA, then CINCSOC stopped the briefing and told his Deputy “do it — I want an OSINT branch in the J-2 and I want OSINT taught in all SOF schoolhouses” — but that OSINT is the common element for creating a Smart Nation that is both prosperous and at peace.
It does no good at all to have a strong military while the twelve core policies are in disarray and China is eating your lunch while Pakistan and Bangladesh nibble away on the edges.
“A Nation's best defense is an educated citizenry.” Thomas Jefferson said that. I would add “and prosperous as well as armed.
I won't belabor the point. Below is the graphic that sums up my life's work and my vision for an Open Source Agency with an Information Bureau and an Open Source Everything Engineering (OSEE) Bureau that helps Make America Great Again at a fraction of the cost of the failed predatory Western model that is 50% waste and 90% profit for the banks.
The military — and military C4I2STAR morphed toward M4IS2 — should be the beating HEART of the nation and should be the CORE for addressing all threats including threats to agriculture, energy, health, and water; and it should be the CORE for Whole of Government interaction with the rest of the world.
If you look at this graphic below again, it may show the utility of OSINT not only across the four levels, but across all functions — agriculture, for example, can be sabotaged; water can be stolen (as in Kashmir). It is in my view not possible to do “national security” without also doing counterintelligence across all domestic policy domains, and strategic planning across all domestic domains, one reason why I would have the OSA support an Inter-Agency Development Command and a Peace College.
SEE ALL
Note: Short URL for the entire series including new posts is
https://tinyurl.com/OSINT-India
See Also:
