Overcoming Self-Inflicted Complexities: A Return to Problem Solving and Unconventional Means

Somehow, somewhere, at some time we over-complicated intelligence and operations framing for the General Purpose and Special Operations warfighter. We entered a time when we decided to call an issue a “wicked problem set” or a “complex adaptive systems situation”, which are concepts and names that are confusing to understand in and of themselves. We continue to use other big descriptive terms that seem to be framed more as an excuse by academics and advisors as to why we can’t figure things out than a way to move forward to understand our adversaries and their way of thinking to ensure our end state objectives can be met through effective engagement and influence options directed at the enemy and germane population.

Further, our irregular threat mitigation involvement is being increasingly hindered by anti-access/ area-denial (A2/AD) issues that constrain the U.S. military’s ability to maneuver in the air, sea, undersea, space, and cyberspace operating domains. Predominately military-centric approaches despite leveraging unconventional or irregular doctrine remains rather conventional when compared to some of our current adversaries’ methods.  As we move to become more nimble and more effective, we as a nation will still need to consider best approaches to be successful in strategic end state objectives while under the scrutiny of critical world opinion.

A key to reframing may go back to the basics where we start with comprehensive problem deconstruction so we can effectively engage and create solutions for; then make more decisions from a local mindset to appreciate the ideological and socio-cultural factors; develop enhanced abilities to understand perceived threats that which we cannot see or identify; and renew skill sets in indigenous Organic Solutions™.

From an improved vantage point, we can more effectively plan and amass the required resources available to achieve mutually agreed upon goals of foreign nations at risk and those of our national interest.

This blog entry is captured from excerpts of “Developing Organic Strategic Solutions for Global Conflicts” that was recently jointly written for a SOF community presentation on Irregular Warfare solutions by Scott Swanson.
http://www.counterx.org/files/Developing_Organic_Strategic_Solutions_Swanson.pdf