Department of Defense Sponsorship of Soft Power in Support of the Global War on Terrorism

The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is a struggle of numerous, ever changing dimensions. One dimension currently the scene of a complex, massive battle is the information domain, a "War of Ideas." The United States can gain advantage in this domain by strengthening deliberately its "soft power." As a premier US Government agency in the GWOT, the Department of Defense (DOD) should add soft power to its arsenal. Why should the DOD concern itself with soft power? Quite simply, the United States needs the assistance of others in prosecuting the GWOT. With military resources at a premium, the US military should actively pursue any concept or technology that provides a military advantage. This paper analyzes the applicability of "soft power" by the DOD in the GWOT. The primary research question is, "What aspects of soft power can the Department of Defense sponsor to counter ideological support for terrorism?"