ISIS, or the Islamic State (IS) as it now calls itself, is a far deadlier enemy than Al Qaeda, es- pecially in its understanding and use Information Warfare and Psychological Operations (PSYOP).
A fully fledged insurgency which has recruited tens of thousands of fighters and controls large parts of Iraq and Syria, IS is especially skilled in the exploitation of global social me- dia networks to radicalize, indoctrinate and recruit.
While the use of force-such as airstrikes-against IS targets may have a positive effect in the short term, victory in the long term will only come when the “lifestyle of the jihadi” is effectively delegitimized. This will require America to draft and execute a national-level Information Operations campaign against the Islamic State. Currently the true center of gravity of this group lies in its Threat Doctrine of Global Jihadism. That ideology cannot be destroyed kinetically.
