Counterinsurgency may be defined as 'comprehensive civilian and military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain insurgency and address its root causes'. Q

One of the most critical yet pervasive shortcomings that interagency operations face is the failure to manage and share knowledge. This is especially true during COIN, when a common base of understanding is key to effective collaboration.

• Influence: Effective COIN requires the shaping of opinions among several different population groups through messages and actions

• The Information Contest: The flow of information (intelligence and influence) is as important to insurgents as it is to counterinsurgents. A COIN campaign should seek to limit the intelligence available to the insurgents through use of counterintelligence, deception and where possible their physical separation from the populace.

That said, the imperative to counter insurgent messages demands a reactive element to our influence activities. Speed is of the essence. The longer it takes for a rebuttal, denial or counter-message to be released, the less relevant and effective it will be. Cumulatively, whichever protagonist (insurgent or counterinsurgent) is fastest at processing the cycle of messaging will have a significant advantage in gaining influence.

Counterinsurgency may be defined as 'comprehensive civilian and military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain insurgency and address its root causes'. Q

One of the most critical yet pervasive shortcomings that interagency operations face is the failure to manage and share knowledge. This is especially true during COIN, when a common base of understanding is key to effective collaboration.

• Influence: Effective COIN requires the shaping of opinions among several different population groups through messages and actions