Context, Culture, and Connection: Avoiding the Counter-Productive Effects of Mirror Imaging In Theater Security Cooperation

Mirror imaging allies and adversaries is largely an innocent mistake, but not without repercussions. It is also easily countered by simply considering context, culture and connection. This is especially relevant in our low-intensity Phase 0 operations, i.e. our Theater Security Cooperation, as conducted by our military's Combatant Commanders. In our effective American nature to adapt and overcome, we often do apply these considerations. However we only apply them at the tactical levels of interaction. We apply them in reaction to a lack of these considerations at the operational and strategic levels. A proactive application of them is necessary. Specifically, the counter-productive effects of mirror imaging in our Theater Security Cooperation is easily prevented by considerations of context, culture and connection at the operational level of leadership and decision making.