Analyzes past U.S. strategic influence campaigns and looks at how and in what circumstances such campaigns can best be applied to today's struggle against terrorism. U.S. government decisionmakers face a number of challenges as they attempt to form policies that aim to dissuade terrorists from attacking the United States, deflect youths from joining terrorist groups, and persuade the leaders of states and nongovernmental institutions to withhold support for terrorists. The successes or failures of such policies and campaigns have long-lasting effects. The findings of this research help U.S. decisionmakers more closely refine how and in what circumstances strategic influence campaigns can best be applied.

"MG-184-RC."

Animosity towards the United States. Support for radical Islam. Violence as a means of political activism. Scope and methodology. Report structure -- The theoretical underpinnings of strategic influence. The psychological objectives of persuasion. The necessary sequence of events and timing. Key judgments -- Theory into practice: what influence can hope to achieve. Instruments and methods of influence -- Performance measures. The dangers of failure. Key judgments -- Potential audiences in Muslim world. Yemen. Germany. Indonesia. Key judgments -- Implications for the struggle against terrorism. Guiding principles. Translating the principles into policy. Potential risks and mitigating strategies -- New challenges ahead.