Krugman: The Uncivil War (Throws a punch at Coulter)

The Uncivil War

One of the problems with media coverage of this administration," wrote Eric Alterman in The Nation, "is that it requires bad manners."

He's right. There's no nice way to explain how the administration uses cooked numbers to sell its tax cuts, or how its arrogance and gullibility led to the current mess in Iraq.

So it was predictable that the administration and its allies, no longer very successful at claiming that questioning the president is unpatriotic, would use appeals to good manners as a way to silence critics. Not, mind you, that Emily Post has taken over the Republican Party: the same people who denounce liberal incivility continue to impugn the motives of their opponents.


more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/25/opinion/25KRUG.html

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Liberals Fight Back; Pundits Are Shocked

by Joe Conason

The alarming rise in liberal aggression is now the subject of regular bulletins from pundits of varying persuasions and temperaments. As certain disquieting elements converge, portents of doom can no longer be ignored: The same progressives who once fit the wimp stereotype are answering back when attacked. The same Democrats who could find no voice last year are bellowing now. The most outspoken challenger to George W. Bush is leading in key primary states. And certain liberal authors who rudely call a liar a liar are selling thousands of books.

To our op-ed philosophers, this eruption on the left seems unnatural, irrational and dangerous, like the sudden fury of Hitchcock’s bloodthirsty birds. They regard the "angry liberals" as a menace to the Republic and to themselves.

More...


http://www2.observer.com/observer/pages/conason.asp

In most every way see they are engaged in a war here, doing everything but pulling weapons triggers in public.

Found this little piece

http://www.davidicke.net/mindcontrol/menu.html

http://www.davidicke.net/mindcontrol/research/re020101b.html
(snip)
US Army Field Manual 101-5-1, Operational Terms and Graphics (released 30 September 1997), defines information warfare as "actions taken to achieve information superiority by affecting a hostile's information, information based-processes, and information systems, while defending one's own information, information processes, and information systems." The same manual defines information operations as "continuous military operation within the military information environment that enables, enhances, and protects friendly forces' ability to collect, process, and act on information to achieve an advantage across the full range of military operations. interacting with the Global Information Environment . . . and exploiting or denying an adversary's information and decision capabilities."<4>

This "systems" approach to the study of information warfare emphasizes the use of data, referred to as information, to penetrate an adversary's physical defenses that protect data (information) in order to obtain operational or strategic advantage. It has tended to ignore the role of the human body as an information- or data-processor in this quest for dominance except in those cases where an individual's logic or rational thought may be upset via disinformation or deception. As a consequence little attention is directed toward protecting the mind and body with a firewall as we have done with hardware systems. Nor have any techniques for doing so been prescribed. Yet the body is capable not only of being deceived, manipulated, or misinformed but also shut down or destroyed--just as any other data-processing system. The "data" the body receives from external sources--such as electromagnetic, vortex, or acoustic energy waves--or creates through its own electrical or chemical stimuli can be manipulated or changed just as the data (information) in any hardware system can be altered.

The only body-related information warfare element considered by the United States is psychological operations (PSYOP). In Joint Publication 3-13.1, for example, PSYOP is listed as one of the elements of command and control warfare. The publication notes that "the ultimate target of is the information dependent process, whether human or automated . . . . Command and control warfare (C2W) is an application of information warfare in military operations. . . . C2W is the integrated use of PSYOP, military deception, operations security, electronic warfare and physical destruction."<5>

One source defines information as a "nonaccidental signal used as an input to a computer or communications system."<6> The human body is a complex communication system constantly receiving nonaccidental and accidental signal inputs, both external and internal. If the ultimate target of information warfare is the information-dependent process, "whether human or automated," then the definition in the joint publication implies that human data-processing of internal and external signals can clearly be considered an aspect of information warfare. Foreign researchers have noted the link between humans as data processors and the conduct of information warfare. While some study only the PSYOP link, others go beyond it. As an example of the former, one recent Russian article described offensive information warfare as designed to "use the Internet channels for the purpose of organizing PSYOP as well as for `early political warning' of threats to American interests."<7> The author's assertion was based on the fact that "all mass media are used for PSYOP . . . today this must include the Internet." The author asserted that the Pentagon wanted to use the Internet to "reinforce psychological influences" during special operations conducted outside of US borders to enlist sympathizers, who would accomplish many of the tasks previously entrusted to special units of the US armed forces.
(snip)

Pasted it in another link here

We all know the media sucks, but who believes they engage in covert...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=729470