Expanding the Approach to Urban IPB

Although operational level intelligence was assessed as adequate for the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom, discussion about the inadequacy of tactical intelligence support for commanders continues to resonate within the Military Intelligence Corps.

The inability of the intelligence system to prepare tactical level commanders for the uncertainty of enemy actions in urban environments has brought into question whether tactical intelligence is equipped to meet the needs for relevance, granularity, and timeliness.

In examining this, the majority of solution sets remain in the realm of force structure, equipment and training.

But further examination points to the lack of dialogue on Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) for urban operations.

Urban IPB is recognized as a clear challenge for all ground combat forces and has prompted responses to address shortcomings.

It requires another alternative approach in order to address the complexity of the urban environment.

The current four-step process is inadequate in light of the resources that could be available to analyze this problem.

At the same time, IPB is well understood within the military and provides a touchstone that should be built upon.

With this tension, there is an opportunity to address what is seemingly an intractable problem set for the intelligence community.

Potential solutions lie in integrating theory, particularly in how we understand the dynamics of populations in urban areas, openly into our doctrine.

Consolidating the doctrine that addresses IPB is an interim step can clarify how to approach analyzing urban centers but more importantly, help provide the basis to initiate analysis.

Incorporating Joint Forces Command's Operational Net Assessment (ONA) provides a means to organize resources to support urban IPB and a way to apply different lenses in the examination and understanding of urban environments.

Finally, establishing urban intelligence as a priority within the intelligenceThis work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

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