Information Sharing in Village Stability Operations: Field Experiences and Policy Considerations

In: Risk, hazards & crisis in public policy, Band 2, Heft 3, S. 1-15

Abstract

AbstractThis paper describes a bottom‐up counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan known as Village Stability Operations, as well as some of the contributions information sharing strategies are making to its success. In a "population‐centric" strategy, it is essential to understand the people and what is important to them in their world, not ours. In this environment, information about the population, also known as "white" data, can be mission critical, although it wasn't treated as such at the beginning of the Afghan campaign. "White" information is not a panacea; it needs to be blended with enemy ("red") information and government ("green") information to form an integrated approach. The paper examines several projects that have been undertaken in Afghanistan, their successes and challenges, and how they have helped the Afghan population while supporting coalition objectives.