Express lanes and potholes of the information superhighway: the internet and the operational planner.

This study investigates the Internet as a potential tool as well as a threat to the operational planner. The Internet is changing how information is stored, processed transmitted and utilized. The Internet is affecting the way people and nations interact and conduct business. As a global network , the Internet transcends national borders and allows an expanded collective awareness of events, issues and concerns. This monograph reviews the history and functions of the Internet, and reviews some of the many varied sources available to the operational planner through the Internet. The ease of access the Internet offers into the global information environment has a direct impact on the ability to suppress, censor, limit or otherwise control information. Some governmental reactions to and policies for the Internet are reviewed. The employment of the Internet by advocacy groups, social movements and transnational actors is also covered for a perspective on how the Internet is being employed. The study concludes that the Internet holds unique potential for the operational planner. The Internet may also pose dangers that operational planners need to be informed about. Operational planners should become familiar with the functions and capabilities of the Internet.