@ARTICLE{10.21494/ISTE.OP.2026.1426, 

TITLE={The importance of cognitive warfare in international power relations}, 
  
AUTHOR={Christian Harbulot, }, 
	
JOURNAL={Cognitive Engineering}, 
	
VOLUME={9}, 

NUMBER={Issue 1}, 
	
YEAR={2026}, 

URL={https://www.openscience.fr/The-importance-of-cognitive-warfare-in-international-power-relations}, 
	
DOI={10.21494/ISTE.OP.2026.1426}, 
	
ISSN={2517-6978}, 
	
ABSTRACT={Analysis of the American operation ‘Absolute Resolve’ targeting president Nicolas Maduro shows that cognitive warfare and economic warfare are intertwined but not identical. Cognitive warfare is the offensive use of rhetoric, based on sourced information, to frame the legitimacy of an intervention or to challenge it. Cognitive warfare is a sub-field of information warfare: an offensive use of rhetoric and knowledge, distinct from disinformation. A key precedent is Willy Münzenberg’s action after the Reichstag fire: mock trials undermined the Nazi accusation. The legitimacy of the term “war” is debated; the etymology werra (disorder, disagreement) supports its use. Two priorities then emerge: building a memory of cognitive confrontations and formalising offensive and defensive strategies.}}