Quite often the US Army describes clearly what it intends to do. At the same time Africans quite often fail to see what the polices actually means for them.
US psychological operations: Drongo should not be seen as a departure from any past US practice but an ongoing reorganisation reflecting an increasing importance of psywar to US African operations. Before Drongo there was B Company: “ B Company 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne) was the dedicated Africa oriented active duty PSYOP unit in the 1980s – 2000s.” Drongo is described as:
“Delta Company, 7th Psychological Operations Battalion, was activated July 15 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Known as “Drongo Company,” the unit will conduct missions supporting U.S. Africa Command and prepare for operations in contested environments.” (Note 1)
Previously known as ‘combat propaganda ‘ or ‘psychological warfare ’, the US Army now prefers to call it : PSYOP..
While it presents itself as fighting to reduce support for terrorism, it admits to engaging against legitimate governments in Africa if it considers them to be a ‘malign influence’.
This is of course a complicated scenario given US funding and other support for terrorist organisations.
This new organiation will have a closer attention to Africa’s cultural and social media space.
“Drongo Company’s effectiveness will depend on more than its ability to produce messages. Its soldiers will need regional and cultural knowledge, language skills, accurate intelligence and credible African partners capable of reaching communities that may distrust communications associated with the U.S. military.”
This means that from now on the agents of US power will not be wearing white skins , speaking English or French, but will be fellow Africans , often appearing as attractive looking African females (I say ‘appearing’ as AI creation is often used) , speaking local languages but funded by the US. There are many in the African media space who consider a ‘white face’ proof of unreliability and so trust ‘Black ‘ faces. Such people will be easy victims of the new initiatives.
Kit Klarenberg is expecting significant action: He says: “Quite some informational assault is planned. Drongo Company will wage its psyops campaigns via “both established and emerging communication technologies…[including] print media, radio broadcasts, text messaging, direct engagement, television programming, social media platforms, and online resources.” These information sources will be blitzed with “persuasive messages intended to change how selected audiences think or act.” The need to “ensure targeted audiences consider…messages credible” is of paramount importance. After all, “adversaries or skeptical audiences” will reflexively dismiss obvious “American propaganda”: (Note 2 )
Drongo is part of an organisation that sees itself as the tip of the spear:
‘“You’ll find us in the shadows, at the tip of the spear. War is evolving, and all the world’s a stage. Anything we touch is a weapon. We can deceive, persuade, change, influence, inspire…We are everywhere.”
‘
Some of the strategy is not so subtle, like calling Chinese infrastructure investments “aggressive”. Others are more subtle. They admit that JNIM is an Al Quaeda affiliate that acted like and equivalent to ISIS, but these forces in the Sahel are funded by France. France claimed their military was needed to protect the government from these terrorists that they themselves were funding to justify their presence.
What is Africa to expect: an onslaught on our social media with pretty African women fronting US propaganda, control of the news cycle often achieved by merely offering cash strapped news operations free content, manipulation of government spokespersons, and a tsunami of messages plugging US objectives.
You have been warned.
Notes: