Serbian Information Operations During Operation Allied Force

This research paper examines Serbian information operations (IO) during Operation ALLIED FORCE, its impact on domestic and international public opinion, and NATO force employment strategy. It also provides recommendations on planning and executing information operations for future conflicts. Due to limited availability of unclassified information and my desire to keep this paper unclassified, the primary focus of this paper is on Serbia's control and use of the broadcast media, newspapers and the Internet as offensive and defensive IO weapons. Using current US information operations doctrine as a common analytical framework, it first examines the various informational instruments of power used by the Milosevic regime. It then analyzes how Serbiaused control of the domestic media and an experienced propaganda machine to gain and maintain support within Serbia and negate NATO messages concerning atrocities committed by the Kosovar Albanians. Next, the paper discusses how Milosevic used these same propaganda tools, along with manipulation of foreign media covering the war from Belgrade, to influence international public opinion in an effort to exploit existing fissures within the alliance and to affect its strategy. Additionally, it analyzes how Serbia used the Internet to promulgate its propaganda message and to conduct primitive information attacks against NATO information systems.