Military's Information War Is Vast and Often Secretive (Inside Propaganda)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/politics/11propaganda.html?ei=5094&en=9c0b816a0b08ce5f&hp=&ex=1134277200&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1134247816-oP8gMzx0jEeEehX0KGY95g&pagewanted=print

Military's Information War Is Vast and Often Secretive

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In state of the art studios, producers prepare the daily mix of music and news for the group's radio stations or spots for friendly television outlets. Writers putting out newspapers and magazines in Baghdad and Kabul converse via teleconferences. Mobile trailers with high-tech gear are parked outside, ready for the next crisis.

The center is not part of a news organization, but a military operation, and those writers and producers are soldiers. The 1,200-strong psychological operations unit based at Fort Bragg turns out what its officers call "truthful messages" to support the United States government's objectives, though its commander acknowledges that those stories are one-sided and their American sponsorship is hidden.

"We call our stuff information and the enemy's propaganda," said Col. Jack N. Summe, then the commander of the Fourth Psychological Operations Group, during a tour in June. Even in the Pentagon, "some public affairs professionals see us unfavorably," and inaccurately, he said, as "lying, dirty tricksters."

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The campaign was begun by the White House, which set up a secret panel soon after the Sept. 11 attacks to coordinate information operations by the Pentagon, other government agencies and private contractors.