News & Opinion on Terrorism & Strategic Communication — October 4, 2007

Jihad for Fun and Excitement. “A sense of boredom and frustration with their ‘insignificant’ lives is a common trait of people who become violent jihadis, according to leading terrorism expert.” (The Age, 10/1).

Is Arabic Channel in New York an Islamist Mouthpiece? “‘They’ are here already, having landed a long time ago and gotten very busy indeed constructing the American wing of jihad.” (New York Sun, 9/20).

Public Diplomacy Cost of Blackwater and Like Incidents. “Does anybody else found it disturbing that the Department that contains the US Public Diplomacy apparatus, is ostensibly in charge of ‘winning heats and minds’ (used here because they use this phrase), and works with foreign media could be so blind as to ignore the impact of their travel?” (MountainRunner, 10/3).

Perception Management vs. Psychological Warfare. “Perception management continues to be a study of the fine art of winning friends and influencing people on a global scale. …Direct campaigns of psychological warfare against an enemy’s physical forces or an attempt at morally and mentally confusing an adversary all play a part in winning a series of battles which all play a larger part in winning a war.” (vSpaceLab, 10/2).