Neurostrike: Inside PLA's "Three Warfares" Strategy [Psyops-Havana Syndrome]
The fundamentals of the battlefield are shifting beneath our feet & in front of our eyes - genomics, brain-machine interfaces, cognitive weapons, nanotechnology take front and center.
The theatre of war is quickly moving from the three-dimensional realm, and focusing straight on the consciousness of soldiers and target populations. The digital domain is quickly moving far beyond traditional cyber defenses, employing neural interfaces and AI algorithms to infiltrate cognitive processes, potentially manipulating behaviors, decisions, and perceptions with alarming precision. Genetic and biological nanotech to interact directly with a brain stem, cause confusion, or target specific populations are becoming more and more of a reality. As a follow-up to the PLA’s 1999 “Unrestricted Warfare” manual and the “Three Wars” strategy in 2003, “Warfare in the Cognitive Age: NeuroStrike and the PLA’s Advanced Psychological Weapons & Tactics” gives us a better insight into the deployment of these emergent technologies, which will be sure to manifest in both subtle ways, and the ways of high strangeness.
The Three Warfares is intended to be integrated across the entire spectrum of military operations. Functions have also expanded and correspond to the PLA’s increasing range of military missions. Core functions include, but are not limited to:
• Control of public opinion (舆论控制)
• Blunting an adversary’s determination (意志挫伤)
• Transformation of emotion (情感转化)
• Psychological guidance (心智诱导)
• Collapse of (an adversary’s) organization (组织瓦解)
• Psychological defense (心理防御)
• Restriction through law (法律制约)
Strategically, primary missions are to seize the “decisive opportunity” (先机) for controlling public opinion, organize psychological offense and defense, engage in legal struggle, and fight for popular will and public opinion. Under this combined framework, China must simultaneously unify military and civilian thinking, divide an enemy into factions, weaken the enemy’s combat power, and organize legal offensives.
The precedents for controlling the flow of information can be seen throughout history. Sun Tzu explicitly emphasizes the importance of controlling information and manipulating it to one's advantage. In “The Art of War", he writes, "All warfare is based on deception." Prussian general and military theorist Carl von Clausewitz, in "On War," highlights how the objective of war is to disarm the enemy by all means; he advocates for the amalgamation of the diplomatic, military, and all other state domains to achieve such a goal.
In modern times, military strategists like to coin new maxims and terminologies. Western theorists call it "cognitive warfare," while Russians prefer the term "New Generation Warfare".
In a 1999 manual titled “Unrestricted Warfare”, Chinese colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui mentioned a variety of cognitive domain operations, emphasizing Sun Tzu's doctrine of winning without fighting.
Commenting on this unrestricted warfare, Brigadier General Robert Spalding, a former China strategist for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, writes, "Qiao and Wang wrote exactly the plan the CCP needed. It is a doctrine that says essentially, "Everything is war." They said that modern wars could be fought beyond traditional military means, or with no military at all. Civilians needed to be warriors too, and battlefields could be about information, economies, technology, the environment, and more. Finally, that this kind of war—unrestricted war, war without rules—needed to be permanent."
As General Spalding rightly points out, for China everything is war and everything is the battlefield (including our mind). China has repeatedly used various cognitive methods to undermine adversaries; TikTok not excluded.
A source told the FT that the Communist Party is trying to develop tech in areas such as "gene editing, human performance enhancement [and] brain machine interfaces."
There are concerns Beijing will use any such weaponry to maintain control over its citizens - including Uighur Muslims according to Gina Raimondo, the US commerce secretary .
The People’s Liberation Army, or PLA, the prominent Chinese military journal China Military Science has published seven articles on psychological warfare during the last three years:
- “On PSYWAR in Recent High-Tech Local Wars,” by Wang Zhenxing and Yang Suping;
-“The Doctrine of Psychological Operations in Ancient China,” by Wu Juncang and Zhang Qiancheng
- “Focus on Psychological War Against the Background of Grand Strategy,” and “Psychological Operations in the Context of Grand Strategy,” both written by Xu Hezhen
-“Comparison of Psychological Warfare between China and the West,” by Wang Lianshui, Ma Jingcheng and Yan Jianhong
- “On Defense in Modern Psychological Warfare,” by Li Yuankui, Wang Yanzheng and Yang Xiaoli
- (Most recently) Wang Dan and Zhang Xu with “Improving psychological protection capabilities to help win future battles (提升心理防护能力助力打赢未来之战)”.
With the exception of Wu Juncang, Zhang Qiancheng, Wang Lianshui, Ma Jingcheng and Yan Jianhong, the authors of the six articles are identified as being instructors at the Shijiazhuang Ground Forces Command Academy, which indicates that the academy has an active and influential psychological-warfare department. In fact, judging by the tone of some of the articles, they could have been lifted directly from lectures presented during the academy’s psychological-warfare courses. t 10 of Canada’s leading universities published more than 240 joint papers on topics included quantum cryptography, photonics and space science with Chinese military scientists at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT). Some of these NUDT researchers are experts in missile performance and guidance systems, mobile robotics and automated surveillance, intertwining right into its “Neurostrike” neuroweapon stack.
Inside “Warfare in the Cognitive Age: NeuroStrike and the PLA’s Advanced Psychological Weapons & Tactics”:
• The NeuroStrike program signifies a major shift in military strategy, moving from conventional kinetic warfare to techniques that directly affect cognitive functions.
• This program integrates advances in neuroscience and technology to develop weapons capable of impairing cognition, reducing situational awareness, and causing long-term neurological degradation.
• The strategic implications of the NeuroStrike program include a fundamental change in the nature of military engagement, raising ethical, legal, and strategic concerns. New Insights on Psychological Warfare:
• The PLA’s integration of psychological warfare techniques reflects a recognition of the psychological state of combatants as a crucial factor in the success of military operations.
• Advanced technologies like AI and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) have introduced new dimensions to psychological warfare, enabling the PLA to manipulate information, perceptions, and decision-making processes.
• The development of biological weapons targeting cognitive functions adds a novel aspect to psychological warfare, inducing psychological trauma and confusion. Implications for Future Warfare:
• Future conflicts are likely to be characterized by a blend of traditional kinetic operations and advanced psychological and cognitive warfare.
• There is a need for comprehensive legal frameworks and ethical guidelines to govern the use of such technologies.
• Military training and preparedness must adapt to address the challenges of technological and psychological warfare.
Recommended U.S. Policy Responses: • Develop legal frameworks and ethical standards to respond effectively to NeuroStrike and psychological warfare threats.
Anomalous Health Incidents:
The terminology used to describe the intricate realm of advanced cognitive disruption technology reflects a paradigm shift in the nature of warfare in the 21st century. This evolution necessitates the incorporation of terms such as "Anomalous Health Incidents" (AHI) and "Unconventionally Acquired Brain Injury" (UBI), both officially recognized by the US Defense Department as indicators of a novel form of covert offensive capabilities. Notably, the term "Havana Syndrome" is inherently intertwined with these concepts, coexisting within the broader term "NeuroStrike," which merits its unique definition.
"I take very seriously the safety, health, and welfare of our personnel. To that end, I want to address with you a matter of significant concern: what we have called Anomalous Health Incidents (AHI). Although it is unlikely to have affected the vast majority of DoD personnel, I want to provide information on how to report potential AHI. Over the course of the last several years, and predominantly overseas, some DoD personnel have reported a series of sudden and troubling sensory events such as sounds, pressure, or heat concurrently or immediately preceding the sudden onset of symptoms such as headaches, pain, nausea, or disequilibrium (unsteadiness or vertigo). As part of a government-wide effort, the Department is committed to finding the cause and the source of these AHi and ensuring that affected individuals receive appropriate medical care as quickly as possible when needed."
– Sept 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Memo for all DoD Employees
The CCP’s weaponization of neuroscience extends well beyond the scope and understanding of classical microwave weapons. Their new landscape of NeuroStrike development includes using massively distributed human-computer interfaces to control entire populations as well as a range of weapons designed to cause cognitive damage.In essence, the integration of psychological aspects into warfare strategy reflects a growing recognition of the human mind as a critical battlefield. The advancements in technologies that target cognitive functions necessitate a parallel development in defensive psychological strategies. This dual focus – technological advancement in offensive capabilities and the enhancement of defensive psychological strategies – underscores a comprehensive approach to modern warfare. As we delve further into this report, the interplay between these two facets – the technological prowess of the NeuroStrike program and the psychological resilience necessary to counteract its impacts – will be explored in greater detail, providing a nuanced understanding of their collective significance in contemporary and future military strategies.
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, the emergence of NeuroStrike has sparked both curiosity and concern. NeuroStrike is a groundbreaking technological advancement that intertwines cybersecurity with the realms of psychological operations, signaling a paradigm shift in the understanding of digital defense and ethical boundaries. As a cybersecurity researcher and philosophy professor, delving into the multifaceted dimensions of NeuroStrike unveils its main aspects, ethical implications, and psychological intricacies.
At its core, NeuroStrike operates at the nexus of neuroscience, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity. Leveraging cutting-edge AI algorithms and neuroscientific principles, it manipulates cognitive processes to influence behaviors, decisions, and perceptions in the digital sphere. The integration of neural interfaces and machine learning algorithms enables unprecedented access to an individual's psychological patterns, paving the way for targeted and precise cyber operations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, NeuroStrike introduces a new dimension of defense and offense. Its applications encompass defensive measures such as enhanced user authentication through brainwave analysis, detecting anomalies in cognitive patterns to prevent unauthorized access. Conversely, it also raises concerns regarding offensive capabilities, where it can be employed in psychological warfare, disinformation campaigns, or even coercion through targeted psychological manipulation.
The ethical implications of NeuroStrike are profound and multifaceted. Questions arise regarding the right to privacy, consent, and the moral responsibility of using technology that delves into the intricacies of individual cognition. The ethical compass must navigate the fine line between safeguarding against cyber threats and respecting the autonomy and privacy of individuals.
Further, NeuroStrike's utilization in psychological operations blurs the boundaries between cybersecurity and manipulation of human cognition. It challenges fundamental ethical principles, including informed consent, autonomy, and the potential for exploitation. As stewards of technology, the ethical framework guiding its development, deployment, and regulation must prioritize human rights, ensuring the preservation of individual agency and dignity.
Psychological operations through NeuroStrike demand a nuanced understanding of human behavior and cognition. Leveraging psychological vulnerabilities for strategic objectives underscores the ethical dilemma of using technology to influence thoughts, emotions, and decisions. Acknowledging these complexities is essential to prevent the misuse of NeuroStrike in manipulating public opinion, exacerbating societal divisions, or infringing upon individual liberties.
The ethical quandaries surrounding NeuroStrike are kaleidoscopic, touching upon privacy rights, informed consent, and the manipulation of human cognition. Out of this technology emerges
a reckoning with the moral responsibility inherent in wielding technology that delves into the depths of individual thought processes. The prospect of employing such technology in psychological operations, disinformation campaigns, or targeted manipulation poses a grave threat to democratic processes, human rights, and global stability.
psychological defense
The PLA focus on enhancing psychological defense mechanisms in modern warfare is a critical response to the evolving nature of conflict, particularly with the advent of advanced technologies like the NeuroStrike program.
Recognizing that mental resilience is as vital as physical prowess, the PLA has been concentrating on strategies and practices to fortify the mental and emotional resilience of its military personnel. This approach is crucial for ensuring effectiveness and resilience against the psychological challenges posed by contemporary warfare tactics.
Significance of Psychological Protection in Military Conflicts: In the PLA's strategy, the psychological state of combatants is acknowledged as a significant factor influencing operational outcomes. Technologies like those in the NeuroStrike program, which directly target cognitive functions, place the psychological well-being of soldiers at the forefront of military concerns. Therefore, psychological protection is a pivotal defense mechanism within the PLA, designed to safeguard personnel from cognitive and emotional manipulations, thus ensuring their operational effectiveness in diverse scenarios.
Synergizing with the NeuroStrike Program: The objectives of the NeuroStrike program, focusing on cognitive and psychological warfare, demand a robust system of psychological protection for its effective implementation. While the program is designed to diminish the adversary's psychological resilience, the PLA simultaneously emphasizes strengthening its own forces against similar threats. Integrating psychological protection strategies ensures that PLA personnel are prepared not only for traditional combat stressors but are also equipped to counteract sophisticated psychological and cognitive warfare techniques.
Educational Guidance as a Key Component: A critical element in the PLA's psychological defense is educational guidance. This entails training military personnel to recognize and understand the nature and tactics of psychological threats present in modern warfare. By educating soldiers about these aspects, they become more proficient in identifying potential threats and deploying effective mitigation strategies. This educational facet also extends to understanding the ethical and legal implications of engaging in psychological warfare
MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA:
It is possible to integrate human intelligence, geographic intelligence, and open source intelligence, etc., to quickly collect and process massive amounts of data, to fake and authentic, accurately and efficiently seize the cognitive space, to achieve complementary advantages, and to form a cognitive advantage in all areas of coverage. By networking decentralized multi-domain forces, a high-level joint force in all fields of connectivity, collective action, and overall strikes will be established to achieve the “ integrated deterrence ” effect. By integrating national resources, strengthening strategic communication, and using cognitive momentum to amplify the effects of political disintegration, economic sanctions, and diplomatic offensives, it cooperates with military operations to exert pressure on all targets and strives to succumb to troops without war.