Disrupt, Deny, Dismantle: A Special Operations Forces (SOF) Model for Combatting New Terrorism

Terrorism in the new millennium has morphed drastically since the 1970s. The terrorist organizations of today are a hybrid between the insurgent group models of the 1960s and modern terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda. This hybrid model has created what has become a transnational insurgency recruited, trained, and led by major terrorist networks such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Even smaller regional groups such as Boko Haram have surpassed merely conducting terrorist attacks. These smaller groups are also focused on controlling territory. Tan (2008) refers to this change as “New Terrorism”. To combat New Terrorism, a combination of counterinsurgency tactics and counterterrorism tactics must be employed. This study will examine the need to define roles and responsibilities for various organization and various echelons through the introduction of a new Special Operations Forces model; Disrupt, Deny, Dismantle. The acronym to be used for this model is D3. This model recommends different tactics, techniques, and procedures for forces not specifically assigned the counterterrorism mission. As new terrorism continues to change, only counterterrorism forces should be tasked with the Find Fix Finish, Exploit, Analyze, and Disseminate (F3EAD) model of targeting (Counterterrorism 2014). All other military and law enforcement elements should disrupt and deny the enemy in support of the counterterrorism effort. This study is based on extensive research and the author’s 23 years of experience serving in U.S. Army Special Forces. Throughout his career, the author interacted with people from various social, economic, and professional backgrounds throughout the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans

A versatile force: the future of Australia's special operations capability

This study aims to provide an understanding of the Australian Defence Force\u27s special operations capability and what it offers to government in both peace and wartime. Summary Over the past decade, the demands of the ADF’s global and regional operations saw an unprecedented growth in Australia’s special operations capability. Indeed, Special Operations Forces became the ‘capability of choice’ for the Australian Government. However, as the ADF enters a period of transition from almost constant high-tempo operations to what might be a ‘soft power decade’, there’s a need to consider the future of the capability. Against this background, this study aims to inform policy decisions by providing an understanding of the special operations capability and what it offers to government in both peace and wartime. It argues against possible temptations to cut the capability. In a changing strategic environment, Special Operations Forces will continue to be an important instrument of Australian defence policy. The study entails a number of concrete policy recommendations to strengthen and readjust the special operations capability for a new era

Epistemic Uncertainty: A Problematic Component of Justifications for the Continued Use of Drone Strikes

The purpose of this paper is to present an objection to justifications for the continued use of drone strikes. This objection requires an examination of the fundamental aspects of the drone strike process. Considerations of strike authorization, outcome assessment, and intelligence gathering reveal deficiencies that contribute to the problematic status of the act. Arguments intended to justify the use of drone strikes rely on an analysis of outcomes that is impossible to satisfactorily apply to an evaluation of the tactic. These justifications are wholly insufficient on the grounds that we do not truly understand the nature of the use of drone strikes. The problematic nature of these justifications is fostered by a disabling epistemic uncertainty concerning the true nature of the act. In order to satisfactorily evaluate an act, the essential features of the act must be understood. Without a sufficient understanding of these features, it is impossible to produce a satisfactory justification of the act. The epistemic uncertainty inherent to the practice of employing drone strikes implies that a satisfactory determination of their status is impossible to achieve, and that the act is entirely unjustifiable

The World According to Military Targeting

A revealing account of the prevalence—and alarming ubiquity—of military targeting, and how it has become a self-propelling worldview driven by dominance, violence, and power. The World According to Military Targeting engages directly with our grave world condition, asking how we ended up in a “closed world” made for military targeting by military targeting. In this book, Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud explores how the operational logics and seductive forces of targeting produce a world in which the only ways to think about politics and security is through military supremacy, endless war, and global domination, with serious implications for social and political life. Offering a critical investigation of military targeting through the lenses of its historical formation, current operations, and future implications, the author presents an innovative investigation into targeting’s radical knowledge production, how it abstracts and brings into being new worlds, and the violence and destructive effects it generates. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the book draws attention to military doctrine and methodologies; statistical thought and practice; the mathematical and computational techniques of data production, processing, and modeling; and the so-called machine-learning algorithms and AI of today. The resulting narrative provides novel insights into how imagining the world, producing the world, and operationalizing the world are always wrapped up in each other and profoundly embedded in sociotechnical systems.The World According to Military TargetingpublishedVersio

Segurança multidimensional nas fronteiras brasileiras: a capacidade disruptiva do programa V.I.G.I.A.

Este artigo busca analisar a interface ocorrida entre as atividades de Inteligência e Operacionais em faixas de fronteira no contexto do programa V.I.G.I.A. O objetivo principal é a identificação dos processos disruptivos de criação e conversão do conhecimento existentes. Como objetivos acessórios objetiva a formalização acadêmica do programa e a identificação dos fluxos informacionais oriundos da adoção da metodologia F3EAD, notadamente os associados à interface entre atividades de Inteligência e operacionais em regiões de fronteiras e divisas. Metodologicamente, adota uma abordagem predominantemente qualitativa de caráter exploratório-explicativo, valendo-se de pesquisa bibliográfica-documental. Assim, busca evidenciar impactos do programa sobre a criminalidade organizada em termos financeiros, e empreende esforços no apontamento de um constructo doutrinário-legal na identificação dos fenômenos descritos. Conceitualmente, investiga elementos constituintes do programa V.I.G.I.A.; da metodologia F3EAD; das atividades de Inteligência e de Operações Especiais. Busca, ainda, um melhor entendimento informacional do programa, pela justaposição de teorias do conhecimento aos conceitos anteriores.  Ao final, conclui pela existência de diretrizes capazes de integrar conhecimentos a nível tácito e operacional, viabilizando um assessoramento oportuno e a formulação de uma identidade específica de fronteiras

GUERRA AO CRIME: Percepção do Método Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, Analyze and Disseminate adaptado às operações da polícia federal, mediante visão dos delegados da Polícia Federal

The F3EAD method was created by the U.S. Armed Forces, combining operational actions with intelligence actions and, as of December 2018, was standardized by the Federal Police for use in its Judicial Police operations. The objective of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the method by the perception of the Federal Delegates. The hypothesis was outlined that, in the view of the Federal Delegates, the method is effective for bringing speed to the investigation, expanding the knowledge of the investigation, giving greater autonomy to the police team and producing new opportunities for action. A study of an applied nature was carried out, with a quantitative approach, with exploratory and descriptive objectives, and a field survey was carried out, applying an online form, answered by 346 participants, with the results analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, displayed in graphs and tables. The hypothesis was confirmed because, in the perception of the Federal Delegates, the F3EAD method was considered effective.El  método Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, Analyse, Disseminate  combina acciones operativas y de inteligencia desde su inicio por las Fuerzas Armadas de los Estados Unidos. A partir de diciembre de 2018, fue estandarizado por la Policía Federal para su uso en sus operaciones de Policía Judicial. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la efectividad del método a través de la percepción de los Delegados Federales. Se planteó la hipótesis de que, a juicio de los Delegados Federales, el método es efectivo para agilizar, ampliar el conocimiento de la investigación, dar mayor autonomía al equipo policial y producir oportunidades de acción. Se realizó un estudio de carácter aplicado, con enfoque cuantitativo, con objetivos exploratorios y descriptivos, y se realizó una encuesta de campo, aplicando un formulario en línea, respondido por 346 participantes, con los resultados analizados por medio de estadística descriptiva, mostrados en gráficos y tablas. La hipótesis fue confirmada porque, en la percepción de los Delegados Federales, el método F3EAD fue considerado efectivo.O método Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, Analyse, Disseminate combina ações operacionais e de inteligência desde sua criação pelas Forças Armadas americanas. A partir de dezembro 2018, foi normatizado pela Polícia Federal para uso em suas operações de Polícia Judiciária. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a efetividade do método pela percepção dos Delegados Federais. Traçou-se a hipótese que, na visão dos Delegados Federais, o método é efetivo por trazer celeridade, ampliar o conhecimento da investigação, dar maior autonomia para a equipe policial e produzir oportunidades de ação. Realizou-se estudo de natureza aplicada, com abordagem quantitativa, de objetivos exploratório e descritivo, sendo feito levantamento de campo, aplicando-se formulário on-line, respondido por 346 participantes, com os resultados analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, exibidos em gráficos e tabelas. Foi confirmada a hipótese pois, na percepção dos Delegados Federais, o método F3EAD foi considerado efetivo

Improving Security Posture by Learning from Intrusions

Previous research have found that organisations lack structured approaches for learning from incidents, which results in organisations missing out on opportunities to improve their security posture. In this thesis, qualitative interviews with industry experts are used in combination with a case study to explore how organisations could leverage intrusions to improve their security posture. Findings from the interviews indicate that there is a lack of structured methods for organisations to learn from intrusions integrating double-loop learning, proactive discovery and information sharing. There are, nonetheless, models that structure either organisational learning or intelligence-driven active defence. One consequence is that high-value intelligence generated from intrusion data is not used effectively, or not used at all, when generating threat hunting hypothesises. Further, without a structured approach for sharing information, stakeholders that could have acted on that intelligence are instead making less informed decisions. To overcome these shortcomings, we introduce a model integrating post-incident activities with intelligence, adversary discovery and information sharing. The purpose of this model is to explicate how data, information and knowledge from intrusions could be used in a structured approach for proactive defensive operations and improved information flows. We argue that widening the scope of incident response standards and guidelines to embrace proactive defence principles, such as learning from intrusions, intelligence and adversary discovery, would aid organisations in structuring their holistic approach to cyber security and make it easier for them to adopt an active defence approach