America Must Wake-Up to the Real War – It’s Cognitive, Not Kinetic

To understand the benefits of the “select” message sent to Iran by President Trump, requires Congress, the Public and our Allies to step out of the box.  What we witnessed in the recent action against Iran, is what I refer to as a “Proactive Influence Operation.”

Our biggest challenge, is that we are in the midst of a cognitive war that will

last a millennia or longer, and our focus remains near solely on kinetic.

Rather than wait, whether the murders were imminent of not (which all evidence points to the fact they were), for additional murders and assaults against our troops, civilians and diplomats – we took action to send a message.  In this case, the message involved kinetics.   But the message conveyed was precise, sent a clear message, and precluded what would have been likely a more full scale war. 

But that’s not what you’re hearing from a biased press and opposition elements.  Those elements are so bent on destroying this administration, that the only slogan they’ve not yet adopted from our adversaries, but seem to push every day subliminally (and even directly) is “Death to America.”

The appeasement approach with Iran, over the last two decades, has shown “no” success or progress.  In fact, the appeasement approach has major flaws, and appeasement in general has a very poor legacy in not keeping us from war, but starting wars.

Since when is it acceptable to take the murder and deaths of American’s, the maiming of thousands of our troops as peace?  And when did we begin accepting as normal insults to America, the capture and holding hostage of innocent Americans, or use of surrogates to bombard and attack our embassies?

At least to me, that’s just not acceptable. It actually invites greater aggression and war.  For those who’ve not learned that you must confront the bully, or they will become even worse, there’s a lesson here.  If you believe in appeasement, that it is ok to see our military, civilians and diplomats killed or maimed, then it’s time we restart conscription – and invite  your sons and daughters to the party of hell.

I’ve written on the need for a new form of conscription, so I won’t derail the purpose of this post, but the reaction of the elites sitting behind their mahogany desks in Washington DC or NY penthouses – suggests that the 1% is not only misunderstood, but taken for granted.  There’s nothing like skin in the game is there?

So post event, the Iranian murderer is dead, but the drumbeats continue.   Are they drumbeats for peace, to advance freedom…no, there drumbeats of the deadbeats who wish to argue the number of angels on the head of pin, while our nation and our President sent the appropriate souls to hades and hell.

While Iranians’ now protest in the streets for their freedoms and chant “death to the Ayatollah” the dysfunctional, delusional and hypocritical left continues to find something wrong with killing a set of murderers.  The Iranian people on the other hand, now seem empowered by a real display of power and freedom by the United States of America.  We’ve moved beyond paying the bullies, and now punch them squarely in the nose – and other see that the weak tyrannical government in Iran, is indeed weak and inept. But rather than rally around or flag, our Constitution and make statements of support in Congress – one side of the coin continues to live in the land of unicorns.

Let’s remember, this is the same crowd (those in the land of unicorns) who have been repeating the mantra that “climate change is the existential threat!”  We must spend – now!!! – Trillions to stop it! We must upend our economic growth, our constitution, and all else to stop it.  All while ignoring the major environmental disasters of China, India, and Russia and…should I say it…. Well yes, and Al Gore’s property in Tennessee.  So CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN IMMINENT THREAT, BUT THE MURDER OF AMERICANS’ IS NOT? I had to shout that one, just in case the wing nuts weren’t listening to their own malarkey. 

The results…drum beat….are…absolutely horrifying from the appeasement crowd over the last decades. Evil has grown. Why? Because it appears that we’ve not learned anything from history.  The lesson remains - Pay me now, or by God, pay me later.  The ostriches amongst us, over the centuries, who’ve stuck their head’s in the sand and prayed evil would just go away.  Well, the world doesn’t work that way.

We often ignore the hellish reality before us, as it’s not only human nature.  It is a mental safe zone to deny reality.  We hope evil goes away.  But we tend to blame or attack those who are willing to actually bust up our fairy tales with a dose of reality.  

We’ve seen this throughout history.  Trump’s busting up the fairy tale of the appeasement crowd, and leading us to reality.  Thank God!

Others would rather vent the hyperbole of war, devastation, authoritarianism, etc. They remain in a delusional state – not realizing that their actions will in fact impede actual removal of evil.  In fact, their actions advance and foretell a future reality.   Look at history, and see the denial, see where it led, and you’ll see literally millions of dead – slaughtered while many repeat and take hold of a fairy tale that evil will just go away.

New flash! Evil exists. Evil doesn’t go away.  Evil must be confronted. 

The war we are in, and have been for a millennium prior, and a millennia into the future is a Cognitive War – an ideological war that pits humanity and freedom against tyranny and control.  Simple in form, complex in action.

Appeasing Iran; N. Korea; Germany pre WWI, WWII; Russia; Syria; Cuba etc. just doesn’t work. What does work is driving actions and measures that move the balance of the information equilibrium towards democracy, freedom and opportunity – vice the tyranny of control and despots. 

Despite these glaring realities, we remain near solely focused on advancing kinetic solutions. Our adversaries know that direct kinetic action is not likely to produce a favorable result. Their use of varied tactics, techniques and other in the cognitive domain will, if unanswered, preclude the need for or significantly reduce the need for kinetic action. Kinetic capabilities can dictate an outcome, but sustained long-term outcomes will remain solely dependent upon the ability to influence, affect, change, or impact the cognitive domain.

The cognitive war, is a mostly hidden war, because it rarely involves direct confrontation or kinetic action. It involves a war of ideologies. China and Russia remain the primary threats in the cognitive domain. If we fail to not only counter punch in this domain, but build a sustained and proactive foundation to advance in the cognitive domain, we will have no other option then an eventual kinetic conflict.

There are signs of progress in advancing capabilities and capacity in the Cognitive Domain.  President Trump must overhaul our IC, DoD and other Federal elements to give him additional non-kinetic tools.  The President and his administration understand that economic, diplomatic and other tools are much more effective, strategic and longer-lasting than kinetic power.  When matched with “select” kinetic messaging as we did in Iran, the world stands up and pays attention.  Message sent. Kudos Mr. President and all his leadership team! Kudos.  

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