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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsArmy Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators
Another Runaway General: Army Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators
by MICHAEL HASTINGS
FEBRUARY 23, 2011
The U.S. Army illegally ordered a team of soldiers specializing in "psychological operations" to manipulate visiting American senators into providing more troops and funding for the war, Rolling Stone has learned and when an officer tried to stop the operation, he was railroaded by military investigators.
The orders came from the command of Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general in charge of training Afghan troops the linchpin of U.S. strategy in the war. Over a four-month period last year, a military cell devoted to what is known as "information operations" at Camp Eggers in Kabul was repeatedly pressured to target visiting senators and other VIPs who met with Caldwell. When the unit resisted the order, arguing that it violated U.S. laws prohibiting the use of propaganda against American citizens, it was subjected to a campaign of retaliation.
"My job in psy-ops is to play with peoples heads, to get the enemy to behave the way we want them to behave," says Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes, the leader of the IO unit, who received an official reprimand after bucking orders. "Im prohibited from doing that to our own people. When you ask me to try to use these skills on senators and congressman, youre crossing a line."
The list of targeted visitors was long, according to interviews with members of the IO team and internal documents obtained by Rolling Stone. Those singled out in the campaign included senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken and Carl Levin; Rep. Steve Israel of the House Appropriations Committee; Adm. Mike Mullen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Czech ambassador to Afghanistan; the German interior minister, and a host of influential think-tank analysts.
The incident offers an indication of just how desperate the U.S. command in Afghanistan is to spin American civilian leaders into supporting an increasingly unpopular war. According to the Defense Departments own definition, psy-ops the use of propaganda and psychological tactics to influence emotions and behaviors are supposed to be used exclusively on "hostile foreign groups." Federal law forbids the military from practicing psy-ops on Americans, and each defense authorization bill comes with a "propaganda rider" that also prohibits such manipulation. "Everyone in the psy-ops, intel, and IO community knows youre not supposed to target Americans," says a veteran member of another psy-ops team who has run operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Its what you learn on day one."
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/another-runaway-general-army-deploys-psy-ops-on-u-s-senators-20110223?print=true
I only reposted this story to remember a great reporter and to ask if he just saw the tip of the iceberg on our runaway military and for those that have not read his stories.
HubertHeaver
(2,522 posts)And, famously, even one Governor Romney of Michigan.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Ironic how it played out. Guess our time doesn't have a monopoly on moronic, misrepresented sound-bite gotcha media politics (witness the "Dean scream"
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)ReRe
(10,597 posts)Thanks for re-posting the words of Michael Hastings.
QuestForSense
(653 posts)Not absolutely positive if this is pertinent, but, from DU, July 15, 2013:
In pertinent part:
Now, the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012 (part of the National Defense Authorization Act) has repealed the domestic prohibition, allowing the government's broadcasting to be directed at/created for Americans for the first time in over 40 years.
Link to the article: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023265636
Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)Americans need some convincing that the ideals of a fascist kleptocracy are just peachy. Now, bend over!
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
xtraxritical
(3,576 posts)Berlum
(7,044 posts)nt
LuvNewcastle
(16,846 posts)Democracy gets in the way when running an empire. It's much easier to have a general in control of things. For the sake of appearances, however, we have to maintain the illusion of democracy.
chimpymustgo
(12,774 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)So manipulating them was pretty easy.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)The officer class is largely co-opted by the defense business, and has been as far back as I can remember. That's the career path if you aren't going to the top inside the military. There are exceptions, plenty, but not near enough, and nothing good comes down from above.
BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)after Congress overturned the propaganda ban. Way to go Orange Man! WooHoo!
warrprayer
(4,734 posts)the Wolf Blitzers and Geraldos of this world go up in a giant fireball. Funny how that works.