Coercive influence is arguably construed as a dark art within the intelligence arena. Used to force people to do things they ordinarily wouldn't do, it is a tactic used for influence and shaping operations. Historically, some coercive influence techniques came from torture, blackmail, and even "sexpionage." Today, America has incorporated a new tool used in coercive operations--Drones. The psychological effect of fear plays heavily in coercive influence operations. Fear that a spouse would find out their lover has been cheating on them, fear that economic hardships or criminal prosecution would evolve if blackmail payments stopped, fear that the tortured would never see a loved one again all come into play. Fear that that the heavens would open up a barrage of hell fire missiles on your home from an unnoticeable drone also promotes psychological effects. For several years, the United States has been consumed with incorporating drone strikes on high valued targets. Senior...(Read Full Post)