Learning from the Past: Using “Cultural Topography” in the Middle East

Early 21st century U.S. engagements in the Middle East have damaged America’s influence and economy since 2001. A Harvard study in 2013 estimated the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will ultimately cost 4-6 trillion USD. U.S. allies became disillusioned with the invasion of Iraq, drone strikes are marring America’s image in the Middle East, and unpopular foreign policy is straining U.S. diplomatic power. Additionally, U.S. goals for a stable Iraq and Afghanistan have not been achieved. The 2014 Afghan elections were plagued by allegations of corruption, and the Iraqi government struggles to protect its northern territories from the Islamic State.So what has stopped the U.S. from being successful in the Middle East? Several military officials have pointed to one major flaw in U.S. engagement with the Middle East: the failure to understand culture. In 2010, Major General Michael Flynn criticized intelligence officers for not providing enough information on village cultures, local customs, and economics. Retired Army General Stanley McChrystal said the U.S. government had a “frighteningly simplistic view of recent history,” and that its forces had little understanding of Afghan culture and languages.With these mistakes not far behind, the United States has chosen to continue its involvement in the Middle East. President Obama recently authorized the deployment of 1,500 troops in Iraq to counter Islamic State advances. Washington also agreed to continued and expanded military involvement in Afghanistan for the next few years. As the United States reengages Iraq and continues operations in Afghanistan, it is crucial that it does not misunderstand culture again. The intelligence community and military took the first steps to ensure this in 2011, when former Central Intelligence Agency analyst Jeannie Johnson and Assistant Deputy Secretary to the Director of National Intelligence Matthew Berret were charged with creating a tool to analyze culture called Cultural Topography.Cultural Topography is a seven-step framework. The first step is to identify an intelligence issue of value. The next is to choose an actor (a person or group) relevant to the issue. Steps three and four have the analyst amass cultural information on the actor and explore this data from four separate perspectives: identity, norms, values, and perceptual lenses. Cultural Topography provides examples of where this information can be harvested, including records of public behavior, historical narratives, and the culture’s educational texts. Step five has the analyst assemble which of these factors are most critical, and step six has them designate which portions of the population are most affected by these influences. Finally, step seven has the analyst assess how this will influence the effectiveness of a U.S. policy or action involving the culture in question.Had Cultural Topography been used before and during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the United States might have avoided many of the pitfalls outlined by General McChrystal and Major General Flynn. Policymakers and the military would have considered how certain strategies would harm populations and enhance terrorist group recruitment. They would have understood which practices would damage diplomatic relations and public opinion. America could have lightened its losses and come closer to achieving its goals.To prevent further losses, the intelligence community and military must employ the Cultural Topography analytical tool immediately. When information from this framework is presented to policymakers, they must heed its findings. The Senate and House Intelligence Committees must hold military and intelligence officials accountable for the use and improvement of tools akin to Cultural Topography by practicing congressional oversight on this issue. Otherwise, the United States will continue to suffer the consequences of misunderstanding culture.