On the field and online: How the fight against ISIS is a battle on two fronts
For Islamic State fighters, the battle for dominance continues both on the ground and online: The extremists鈥� capture of the ancient Syrian site of Palmyra this week came with a Twitter-circulated photo of the group鈥檚 black flag flying over the city鈥檚 hilltop castle.
The militants鈥� decision to publicize their victory via social media is typical of the group鈥檚 strategy as it strives to use the Internet to push its propaganda forward 鈥� and it comes as the Obama administration faces increasing scrutiny of its policies for combating the extremist group on two fronts.
鈥淎 war of words continues, as both sides try to convince the world the momentum is in their favor,鈥� national security reporter Paul D. Shinkman . 鈥淔or the Islamic State group, it seems like yet another win.鈥�
Indeed, the militants captured Palmyra 鈥� an ancient site that was 鈥渙ne of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world,鈥� 鈥� just days after they retook the Iraqi city of Ramadi, 鈥渦ndermining US assertions that the group is largely on the defensive after months of airstrikes by an international coalition,鈥� .
The administration responded by casting the image of the fight as a long and arduous battle, even as it worked to keep its tone optimistic.
鈥淣o, I don鈥檛 think we鈥檙e losing,鈥� President Obama shortly after ISIS took Ramadi. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt there was a tactical setback, although Ramadi had been vulnerable for a very long time, primarily because these are not Iraqi security forces that we have trained or reinforced.鈥�
Away from the field, the State Department鈥檚 Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) has also faced criticism for its efforts at fighting the Islamic State, or ISIS, using the militant group鈥檚 online strategy.
The center鈥檚 video, 鈥淲elcome to ISIS Land,鈥� sought to discredit the extremists and discourage would-be jihadists from joining the cause, and went viral as planned 鈥� but critics denounced its use of graphic imagery as 鈥渁 disturbing embrace of the adversary's playbook,鈥� the Houston Chronicle reported.
In addition, the State Department has not been able to determine whether or not the video had any impact on the flow of fighters to Syria, according to the Chronicle.
ISIS meanwhile continues to propagate an image of itself as a powerful, victorious, and growing organization. As Mr. Shinkman wrote:
The network鈥檚 propaganda arm has proven adept at disseminating reports that it thoroughly controls ground it has taken, like in Raqqa, Syria, considered the capital of its self-proclaimed caliphate, or Mosul, Iraq鈥檚 second-largest city now farther from the grasp of the U.S.-led coalition following the fall of Ramadi.
Still, experts say there are effective ways of combating ISIS. Among the most important is to stop exaggerating the group鈥檚 invincibility, Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger, authors of 鈥淚SIS: The State of Terror,鈥� .
鈥淚SIS relies on its projection of strength alongside the illusion of utopian domestic tranquillity,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淲hen Western policymakers discuss 鈥榙egrading鈥� ISIS, it should be in the context of forcing ISIS to make visible concessions in order to counter military pressure鈥� 鈥� visible being the operative word.
鈥淸O]ur targeting priorities should also aim to expose vulnerabilities for counterpropaganda purposes,鈥� they added. 聽
Such an approach appears to be on the agenda for the CSCC. Richard Stengel, a former Time managing editor hired by Secretary of State John Kerry to be head of public diplomacy, has advocated for more fact-based, and less snarky, messaging, according to the Chronicle.
鈥淵ou say the caliphate is heaven on earth? We鈥檙e going to show you pictures where sewers don鈥檛 work,鈥� Mr. Stengel told the paper. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e winning on the battlefield? Here鈥檚 a satellite picture of you guys retreating.鈥�
How much of an impact such a shift will have in the propaganda war is yet to be determined. But whatever the US government鈥檚 policy is online will need to be bolstered by a corresponding strategy on the ground, The Atlantic's associate editor Kathy Gilsinan 聽in February.
鈥淚SIS is surely a formidable force. Offline, the group is now estimated to be 30,000-strong or bigger,鈥� she noted. 鈥淏ut the roots of its expansion probably don't lie on the virtual battlefield. More likely, they're on the real one.鈥�
