Bobby R. Inman Award Semi-Finalist Philip Nichols on Leadership Decapitation vs Mid-Tier Degradation

“This Intelligence Studies Essay assesses open source research to determine the relative effectiveness of two alternative strategies for directing lethal attacks against terrorist groups: leadership decapitation, or degradation of mid-level management.  While the strategy for directing, in particular, drone strikes against terror targets by the CIA and DOD has never been fully declared, it appears to include elements of both strategies based on legal and practical considerations in specific cases, and is limited by the availability of intelligence on the inner workings of enemies like al Qaida, Da’esh, and al-Shabab.  The limited number of attack platforms and scarce intelligence-gathering resources places a premium on optimizing the impact of each strike by following a strategy tailored to the organization being targeted.

The author, Phil Nichols, completed the research as an undergraduate and was recognized by UT-Austin’s Intelligence Studies Project as a semi-finalist for the 2015 “Bobby R. Inman Award” for student scholarship in intelligence.” 

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Photo Credit: the Washington Times