This document contains an article from The Counter Terrorist journal analyzing ISIS propaganda techniques. The article discusses how ISIS follows basic advertising rules to effectively spread its message: it knows its message of establishing a caliphate based on Islamic prophecy, it knows its target audience of 16-30 year old Westerners, and clearly conveys its message using compelling visuals and narratives. The article argues ISIS propaganda is dangerous because it presents just enough truths to be appealing while disguising the violent reality. It calls for a counter-campaign to provide positive purpose and community to potential recruits.

1. EVERY DAY IS ARMAGEDDON • DEEP CONCEALMENT • TERRORIST HUNTER • ISIS PROPAGANDA
thecounterterroristmag.com
An SSI
®
Publication
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2
INTERNATIONAL
EDITION
APRIL/MAY 2016
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals
POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR DEFEATING THE
ISLAMIC STATE
APRIL/MAY 2016
USA/CANADA $5.99

2. The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 5
CounterThe
22
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals
APRIL/MAY 2016
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2
32
42
CONTENTS
COVER STORY:
32 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEFEATING THE
ISLAMIC STATE BY DAVID WALLACE
by David W. Wallace
FEATURES:
08 EVERY DAY IS ARMAGEDDON
by Stuart Bryant
22 DEEP CONCEALMENT
by Garret Machine
48 A MARKETERS PERSPECTIVE:
ISIS PROPAGANDA AND WHY IT WORKS
by Forest Rain
58 TERRORIST HUNTER: WHAT HAPPENS: WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN OFF-DUTY SOLDIERS AUGMENT POLICE FORCES
DOMESTIC TERRORISM RESPONSE
by Daniel
DEPARTMENTS:
06 From the Editor
Hostage Rescue Versus Selective Fire
46 Book Review
Life or Death: Your Life, Your Safety, Your Responsibility
66 Innovative Products
Patriot3, Fairleigh Dickinson University, The Phantom Warrior MT™
Multitask Flashlight, MGM Target's New Steel Challenge Silhouette Series,
Eye Safety Systems, The Gen1 Patriot Collection
70 Training Review
Developing Assets
Cover Photo: Flowers and inscriptions after the
March 2016 Brussels attacks. Photo by: Zinneke
8

3. 48 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016
A MARKETER’S
PERSPECTIVE:
ISIS PROPAGANDA
AND WHY IT WORKS
48 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016
Screenshot from the
“No Respite" video.

4. The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 49
From a marketing perspective it makes
sense. The answer is simple:
advertising. Advertising works. We all
know that.
We also know that advertising often lies
or “sells” based on half-truths. And it is
how one can sell a damaged product.
The fundamental rules of advertising are:
know your message,
know your audience, and
speak your message clearly, in a way
your audience can understand.
The Islamic State does exactly that,
following all the rules of psychology,
selling ideas from over a thousand years
ago in slick multi-media packaging.
The Islamic State spreads its message
over the Internet in the form of videos,
by Forest Rain Marcia
It is shocking that so many young
Westerners leave their homes to
join the Islamic State. Why would
they want to belong to such an
obviously murderous and vicious
group of people?!
The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 49

5. 50 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016
social media such as Twitter, and their
publication Dabiq. Remember that name;
it will come up again.
The most recent video, titled “No
Respite,” was released November 24th. It is
a stunning, highly-produced commercial,
targeted specifically for America.
Ever since I was a child, I have analyzed
advertisements. I always thought it
interesting to see what was being sold, if
it worked, how, and if didn’t work, why
not. Now, as a professional marketer,
I see the techniques used to build this
ad and recognize its potential impact
and the danger in ignoring, dismissing
or not understanding the power in IS
propaganda-ads.
“No Respite” is intended to hold
up a mirror to the American people,
explaining why Islamic State values will
triumph over America and the West.
It is an invitation and a warning to
choose the “right” side in this ultimate,
prophesied battle. Many will laugh off
the scare tactics of the video, saying: “I
don’t believe in their prophecies and the
computer game style of the video doesn’t
impress me.” Big mistake.
If that was your reaction the video isn’t
directed at you. There is a different target
audience that the messaging will reach,
with great impact.
ADVERTISING RULE 1:
KNOW YOUR MESSAGE.
In the video, IS sets the scene, explains
its actions and details its future goal,
based on the message of Islamic prophecy.
They know their message very well,
say what they mean and take actions
that embody their intentions. They are
completely congruent in their messaging.
Congruency is important because it
creates credibility, even when the subject
matter is negative.
ADVERTISING RULE 2:
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
The style of the video is designed for
a very specific demographic: sixteen- to
thirty-year-olds, mostly male Americans.
Millennials. The same audience
Hollywood targets.
Catch that audience and you have a
blockbuster hit.
Visual style: To someone older, the
video might look cartoonish and a bit

6. The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 51
ridiculous. But when you have grown
up playing computer games, Mortal
Combat, World of Warcraft, and Call
of Duty, your perspective is different.
Given the style and the now common
video game phenomenon where the
player can choose to be the “good” or
the “bad” character, the criminal or law
enforcement, it is easier to disconnect
from the real world, seeing IS not for the
actions we have seen on the news but as
the heroes in their own story, the heroes
of the story detailed in “No Respite.”
Content presentation: The content is
directed at both believers (Muslims) and
non-believers willing to listen. This is
much more than a “scare tactics” video.
It’s a recruitment ad. And there are just
enough truths presented to be highly
compelling to the target audience.
“This is our Caliphate,” begins the
video, showing a gigantic IS flag flying
over an unnamed city, probably in Iraq
or Syria. The message is clear: it was
prophesied that Muslims would conquer
and create a Caliphate and now IS is
doing it. Their territory is greater than
Great Britain, eight times the size of
Belgium, and 30 times the size of Qatar.
Success breeds success. The very fact
that IS has succeeded thus far will bring
them more followers.
The Islamic State video states with
pride that it is entirely about Islam: “It is
a state built on prophetic methodology,
striving to follow the Koran and Sunna.”
This is a clear message to all who have
said “it’s not about Islam.” The narration
then changes to a derisive tone: “It’s not
a secular state built on man-made laws
whose soldiers fight for the interests of
legislators, liars, fornicators, corporations,
and for the freedoms of Sodomites.”
These messages are directed at young
people who understand that the world
doesn’t work right, that governments are
corrupt, politicians lie, and politics are
played for power rather than based on
values and universal truths. The message
is for the young who understand that the
system is broken—and it offers a way
to fix all the problems, i.e. living in the
Caliphate under sharia law.
In contrast to the moral corruption and
divisiveness of Western society, the Islamic
State puts forth the idea of a group united
in one goal (Jihad), upholding values
dictated by God (Allah).
“We are the soldiers that demolished
the idols of Nationalism,” IS explains.
They know that people around the world
were horrified at their demolition of
ancient artifacts and relics. Here they
explain that they did so not because
they are barbarians, but because they
are upholding a noble cause: unifying
nations under one banner. They made the
Sykes-Picot boundaries irrelevant because
the borders that artificially divided the
Middle East into separate countries never
Congruency
is important
because
it creates
credibility,
even when the
subject matter
is negative.

7. 52 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016
should have been drawn: there is only one
nation, the Nation of Islam.
America’s own president has been
explaining for years that there is no such
thing as American exceptionalism. For
the young people of America, that is the
only president they have ever known, and
they don’t know the America older people
remember. If there is no exceptionalism,
it isn’t a far stretch to agree that there is
no pride in nationalism.
The ad builds on the power of the
Black Lives Matter movement: “There is
no difference between an Arab and a non-
Arab, a black man and a white, except
through piety.” That, they explain, is what
is so wonderful about Islam: all can be
united. To an America divided on race
issues, this is an appealing message. It’s
essentially what Dr. Martin Luther King
preached: “Judge a man by the content of
his character, not the color of his skin.”
Again the message is correct; it is the
solution offered that is the problem.
The Islamic State is portrayed as a place
that is just (sharia law), a good place to
raise children, and a place where soldiers
who join will benefit from the war. Spoils
of war include sex slaves, but that is only
implied, because that is not palatable
to the American people. IS knows the
audience very well.
The video goes on to explain that
there is no way that America will be
victorious over them, as American
soldiers cannot stomach the war
(referring in graphic detail to the
numerous deaths and suicides of U.S.
soldiers). They refer to facts being
“cooked” regarding American success
(another example of the government
lying to you), going on to explain that
America cannot afford the war: America
pours enormous amounts of money into
sophisticated weapons, missiles, etc.,
while the Islamic State is using cheap
bullets and winning.
The implication is obvious—give up
now. Join the winning side. And to those
who don’t, they issue the taunt: “Bring
it on! The flames of war will finally burn
you on the hills of Dabiq.” Remember
that name? Dabiq is a small village in
Syria where Islamic prophesy says there
will be the final battle that results in
Islam conquering the West. It was in
Dabiq that the Islamic State beheaded the
American aid worker Peter Kassig.
Here they show that all IS actions are
done for a reason, according to a very
specific plan. THEY have a plan.
“Bring it on! Plot against us and show
us no respite. Our ally is the greatest. He
is Allah and all glory belongs to him.”
The closing verse from the Koran gives
the same message: the time when the
non-Muslims call together their allies and
show “no respite” will be the time when
Islam and Allah will triumph.
Simon Sinek explained in his milestone
TED Talk: “People buy not because they
need what you make but because they
believe what you believe.” The Islamic
State knows their “why” very well and
they present it to the audience as an
invitation to also believe their “why.”
Many will not, but some will.
In a world that is shallow and empty
of greater purpose, the appeal of uniting
for a greater cause is highly attractive.
Unity, equality, and a high standard of
unwavering moral values is a compelling
promise. It doesn’t matter that this is not
the reality offered in the Islamic State. This
is advertising. There are enough grains of
truth within this ad to be effective.
We all know advertising works. Even
when the product being sold is damaged.
I suggest waging a counter-campaign,
not against the Islamic State but rather
to reach the audience they are competing
for, to prevent their “customers” from
buying the damaged goods, the way of
life, IS is selling.

8. The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 53
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9. 54 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 201654 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016
Screenshots from the
“No Respite" video.

10. The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 55The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016 55

11. 56 The Counter Terrorist ~ April/May 2016
Watch the young people, particularly
the men, in America or any other
Western country. Watch the young people
in your home, in your community. Are
they angry? Are they drifting?
Now is the time to take action. Help
them find a better “product.” Help them
find something greater than themselves
they can identify with. Gather together
like-minded people and take action to
bring positive change to your community.
The results need to be obvious and
immediate so that they can be felt. The
young people need to feel their purpose,
otherwise they are in danger of drifting to
a negative purpose.
If you can, create a church or
synagogue group that takes action to
better the community. Take them to serve
the elderly—bring them their groceries,
fix things in their homes—take them to
mentor younger children, giving them
role models. If you can, join a faith-
based group. If not, create a group based
on humanity, on healing the planet.
Volunteer at the Humane Society. Create
road protection societies that keep the
streets and parks clean.
Purpose is key. Committing to
something greater than oneself is
fundamental to feeling value.
I suggest a swift, hard-hitting
counter-campaign to the propaganda
marketing sweeping the world, before the
competition converts our young people
to being their “customers.” •
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Forest Rain served in the IDF Northern
Command as an Ordnance Corps
Personnel Coordination Sgt.
After her service Rain co-developed
and co-directed a project to aid victims
of terrorism and war giving her extensive
first-hand experience with the emotional
and psychological processes of civilians,
soldiers and their families, wounded and/
or bereaved and traumatized by terrorism
and war (grief, guilt, PTSD, etc.).
Connect with Forest Rain
Inspiration from Zion: http://forestrain.
wordpress.com/
Twitter: @frisrael
Email: lionheart.e@gmail.com
Screenshot from the
“No Respite" video.