5th-Gen Warfare Terms and Tactics

So, what is fifth generation warfare and why does it matter?

5th-Gen warfare is an extension of Asymmetric and Insurgent Warfare strategies and tactics, whereby both conventional and unconventional military tactics and weapons are incorporated and deployed, including exploitation of political, religious and social causes. This new gradient of warfare uses the internet, social media and the 24 hour news cycle to change cognitive biases of individuals and/or organizations. It can be conducted by organized or unorganized (ergo decentralized) groups; it may be led by nation states, non-nation state actors and organizations, non-governmental organizations or even individuals. A key characteristic of 5th Gen warfare is that the nature of the attack is concealed. The goal is to disrupt and defeat opponents by creating new cognitive biases.

The most effective 5th Gen warfare strategies employed by those lacking integrity are not purely based on pushing false narratives, mis or dis information. The most effective strategies mix truth with fiction, and act to increase confusion and disorder in the thoughts and minds of those being targeted, so that they are not sure what or whom to believe.

Some have written that the term 5th-Gen warfare should only be applied to those opponents with fewer resources (asymmetric warfare), but this is not consistent with current practice. Large and small governments, transnational corporations, globalist organizations as well as ordinary citizens have learned how effective the 5th-Gen toolkit is and have utilized 5th-Gen warfare tactics to their advantage.

Abbot’s seminal “Handbook of 5GW”, published in 2010, states that:

With this essay, my goal is to give you the tools to both recognize 5th-Gen warfare tactics and to help the reader learn to use these tools for him or herself in surviving the “information warfare” you are being subjected to, and to begin to master these methods and become a warrior in the 5th Gen battles that lie ahead.

Just to be clear, the concept of 5th generation warfare as being traditional “warfare” is not accurate. When the term “war” is applied, the concept of a physical war as a battle for territory using kinetic weapons looms large. This is not the case with 5th-Gen warfare.

For my own use, I find the term fifth-generation psyops as being perhaps more accurate for what is happening across the web. But 5th-gen warfare is the term people know, so there is is. When a collaborative or synchronized 5th-Gen psyops program is being referred to, then I will use that term when appropriate.

There is also the small point that although “5GW” or 5G warfare is commonly used, this term can often confuse those first encountering 5th-Gen warfare terminology, who confuse 5th Gen warfare with 5G technologies (cell phone tower tech). For this reason, I am going to try to avoid using “5GW” acronyms in the future.

This may all seem esoteric, but words and definitions matter.

The 5GW Hand book goes on to define fifth generation warfare as:

• A war of information and perception
• Targets existing cognitive biases of individuals and organizations
• Creates new cognitive biases
• Is different from classical warfare for the following reasons:
  • Focuses on the individual observer / decision maker
  • Is difficult or impossible to attribute
  • Nature of the attack is concealed

     

The Radio Research Group/grey dynamics has developed an excellent example list of 5th-Gen warfare weapons, tactics, and technologies. I have expanded on that list and added definitions for the lay person.

• Misinformation (Data Driven)
  • Deepfakes (Deepfakes are synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else’s likeness. While the act of creating fake content is not new, deepfakes leverage powerful techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence to manipulate or generate visual and audio content that can more easily deceive – Wiki)
• Cyberattacks
  • Honeypots (not the sexual entrapment kind)

    

   

• “Social engineering” (Social engineering is any manipulation technique that exploits human behavior and error in order to gain access to sensitive or confidential information. Where some scammers would steal someone’s personal information, social engineers convince their victims to willingly hand over the requested information like usernames and passwords.) “Nudge” technology is actually applied social engineering.
• Social media manipulation (Data Driven)
  • Decentralized and highly non-attributable psychological warfare (memes, fake news).
  • Controlled opposition, disruptors and chaos agents. Historically, these tactics involve a protest movement that is actually being led by government agents. Nearly all governments in history have employed this technique to trick and subdue their adversaries. However, in 5th-Gen warfare, controlled opposition often may come in the form of disruptors and chaos agents. Either “real” people or bots that generate outrageous claims that delegitimize a movement (examples currently may (or may not be); “snake venom in the water” or “everyone is going to die who took the vaccine within two years”. Another tactic is placing agents of chaos whose job is to basically disrupt organizations and events. This may also come in the form of “reporters” who assert fake or highly exaggerated news stories, and who most likely are funded by the opposition. “Undermine the order from the shadows ” is the tactic here.
• Mass surveillance
  • Open-source intelligence
    • Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of data gathered from open sources (covert and publicly available sources) to produce actionable intelligence.
  • Tracking surveillance software (such as COVID trackers and cell phone keyword searches).
  • Commercially available Social media analytics.
  • The use of publicly available raw data and surveys to sway public opinion by use of memes, essays and social media posts.
  • Grey and dark market Data Sets (a grey market or dark market data set is the trading of information through distribution channels that are not authorized by the original manufacturer or trade mark proprietor).
  • Commercially available Satellite / SA imagery
  • Commercially available Electromagnetic intelligence
  • Cryptographic backdoors (this is any method that allows an entity to bypass encryption and gain access to a system).
• Electronic warfare, with the rapid reduction in cost and availability thereof
  • Open source encryption/ DeFi (decentralized finance)
  • “Community technology (Community technology is the practice of synergizing the efforts of individuals, community technology centers and national organizations with federal policy initiatives around broadband, information access, education, and economic development” –Wiki)
  • Low cost Radios
• Traditional protest tools combined with 5th-gen warfare. An example would be a large rally combined with social media tools to create synergy or opposition for a movement.
• The synergistic use of mixed media to build excitement or to create outrage.

So, although the list is extensive, the truth is that only a subset of these tools are available to poorly resourced individuals and groups. However, these groups may compensate for the deficit by leveraging popularism.

The good news is that some of the most effective 5th Gen warfare tools are the ones that cost the least. Decentralized and highly non-attributable psychological warfare and community synergy are two methods that can be utilized by individuals and groups to make a difference.

Asymmetric warfare is a conflict in which the opponents’ resources are uneven. When it is the people against a government or governmental policy, the people have numbers behind them, but typically fewer technology, financial, and physical assets (vehicles, kinetic weapons, intelligence gathering capabilities). Late 20th (Viet Nam, for example) and current 21st century (Afghanistan et al) history of warfare clearly demonstrates that by coordinating their efforts, very effective asymmetric battlefield campaigns can be deployed.

Another recent example involves shifting the vaccine narrative to acknowledge that post-COVID vaccination myocarditis occurs in athletes and children. In the case of this example, when a new victim is identified, posts are shared both openly and via semi-private direct message to influencers, and the word spreads very quickly. These posts reach not only those who already believe that there is a problem, but those who are unaware. This is why social media has taken to extreme censorship over such posts and even direct messaging (and as now verified by many). Unfortunately, at the operational heart of these anti-free speech policies we often find agents of the US government.

This tactic has also been utilized by the World Economic forum – as they have enlisted almost 10,000 “global shapers,” that is people under thirty to spread their messages of a new world order based on transnational corporations effective climate change solutions worldwide. The WEF program is failing because the messages are stagnant and often are not culturally aligned with the intended audience- they come across as “fake”, contrived, and lacking integrity. In the fast paced news cycle of 5th-Gen warfare, the message must be seen as genuine, and to move as fast as the ever changing news stories and narrative. Understanding 5th-Gen warfare is critical is fighting effectively in this battlespace of minds, ideas and memes.

With a 5th-Gen warfare campaign, it is easy to change the target. Just follow the social media posts, news stories from alternative sources, trends and go! Anyone can play. Just be aware that a false flag operation often does more harm than good.

This is a big reason why once the US government (or WHO, or WEF) identifies and censors messaging content, the message much change rapidly. The government goes after individuals to silence and defame because 5th-Gen warfare is working against the interests of the Administrative State and their allies. By taking away one’s right to post, as well as licenses, political posts, etc, they are acting to block 5th-Gen campaigns.

The focus on decentralized action, of a leaderless battlespace, effectively forces the forces that seek to advance and insert a false narrative into susceptible minds to play “whack-a-mole”, because there are too many autonomous actors or apparent “leaders”. In this case, as one person is taken down, another rises. This is where being a “shape shifter” is adaptive. Be ready to change social media platforms, handles, email accounts, etc. This is how I survived and thrived when de-platformed from Twitter, Facebook and Linked-in and defamed by almost every single mainstream media corporation.

It can be helpful to keep a separate identity from your social media accounts. Use emails that aren’t tied to your personal affairs for social media.

But we also have to be smart. Which is to say don’t be stupid. For instance, don’t play that quiz game based on your name and date of birth, don’t respond to emails that need personal information, etc. No Nigerian Prince is going to send you millions of dollars. So learn to recognize pfishing and other strategies employed by con artists.

Challenge authority when it is wrong. Don’t allow yourself to be bullied. Don’t give up, and don’t get depressed.

In this essay, I have intentionally not written about the battles ahead or what we are fighting for. Except to say that we all know that we are fighting for now is for our very sovereignty. For preventing ourselves and our children from becoming indentured servants to self-appointed centralized global masters of the Universe.

These are tools that are just too seductive for large entities not to use. Do not expect these tactics to stop. The digital spying will continue to be relentless. Look up and learn about the “Pegasus” and “Pegasus II” spyware, and let yourself think through what that means to you in a practical sense, and how you chose to respond to these threats.

Our job is to understand the terrain, the tools and the tactics.

The term for 5th-Gen warfare is war. This is not a “nice” game, with rules that we all agree to. There are no rules in 5th-Gen warfare, only tactics and strategy. Nothing is “fair”, and your mind, thought, and emotions are the battlefield.

That said, I chose to have rules for myself, and expect those that I work with to adhere to these same rules.

I stand by my ethics. I don’t lie. I don’t cheat and I don’t break the law. I seek to maintain personal integrity, and respect others, and act to heal and build community wherever I can. If I break these rules for myself, I will never be able to claim victory.

This is a war for my mind, your mind, our children’s minds, and our collective minds.

Stay true.

Stay sovereign. Remain a patriot.

Don’t be a victim. Be a 5th Gen warrior for truth, and for the sake of our children, and for their children.

Never forget, the Truth is like a Lion. Set it free, and let it defend itself.

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