A new Pentagon strategy aimed at luring terrorists into committing acts of terrorism has been recommended to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld by the Defense Science Board (DSB). The “DSB Summer Study on Special Operations and Joint Forces in Support of Countering Terrorism” claims that since the global war on terrorism “requires new strategies, postures and organization,” it was advocating the creation of a super-Intelligence Support Activity, called the “Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group (P2OG).”

According to Secrecy News, published by the Federation of American Scientists’ Project on Government Secrecy, stories about the DSB briefing first surfaced on September 26 in a report by Dan Dupont in “Inside the Pentagon” and by Pamela Hess, UPI’s Pentagon correspondent. A month later, William M. Arkin mentioned P2OG in a column in the Los Angeles Times. And, in early November, CounterPunch ran a piece on P2OG by Chris Floyd called “Into the Dark: The Pentagon Plan: to Provoke Terrorist Attacks.”

The DSB’s recommendation for a Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group appears to be in line with President Bush’s National Security Strategy, which called for preemptive military strikes. Military Analyst William Arkin writes that P2OG would “bring together CIA and military covert action, information warfare, intelligence, and cover and deception.” The organization “would launch secret operations aimed at ‘stimulating reactions’ among terrorists and states possessing weapons of mass destruction — that is, for instance, prodding terrorist cells into action and exposing themselves to ‘quick-response’ attacks by U.S. forces.” link

September 26, 2002 (B): A leaked August 16, 2002 report from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld’s influential Defense Science Board 2002 is exposed. (UPI, 9/26/02) The board “recommends creation of a super-Intelligence Support Activity, an organization it dubs the Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group, (P2OG), to bring together CIA and military covert action, information warfare, intelligence, and cover and deception. Among other things, this body would launch secret operations aimed at ‘stimulating reactions’ among terrorists and states possessing weapons of mass destruction — that is, for instance, prodding terrorist cells into action and exposing themselves to ‘quick-response’ attacks by US forces. Such tactics would hold ‘states/sub-state actors accountable’ and ‘signal to harboring states that their sovereignty will be at risk.'” (Los Angeles Times, 10/27/02, Asia Times, 11/5/02) An editorial in the Moscow Times comments: “In other words – and let’s say this plainly, clearly and soberly, so that no one can mistake the intention of Rumsfeld’s plan – the United States government is planning to use ‘cover and deception’ and secret military operations to provoke murderous terrorist attacks on innocent people.” It is further suggested terrorists could be instigated in countries the US wants to gain control over. (Moscow Times, 11/1/02)September 26, 2002 (B): A leaked August 16, 2002 report from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld’s influential Defense Science Board 2002 is exposed. (UPI, 9/26/02) The board “recommends creation of a super-Intelligence Support Activity, an organization it dubs the Proactive, Preemptive Operations Group, (P2OG), to bring together CIA and military covert action, information warfare, intelligence, and cover and deception. Among other things, this body would launch secret operations aimed at ‘stimulating reactions’ among terrorists and states possessing weapons of mass destruction — that is, for instance, prodding terrorist cells into action and exposing themselves to ‘quick-response’ attacks by US forces. Such tactics would hold ‘states/sub-state actors accountable’ and ‘signal to harboring states that their sovereignty will be at risk.'” (Los Angeles Times, 10/27/02, Asia Times, 11/5/02) An editorial in the Moscow Times comments: “In other words – and let’s say this plainly, clearly and soberly, so that no one can mistake the intention of Rumsfeld’s plan – the United States government is planning to use ‘cover and deception’ and secret military operations to provoke murderous terrorist attacks on innocent people.” It is further suggested terrorists could be instigated in countries the US wants to gain control over. (Moscow Times, 11/1/02) sorry, no link for this one, you can check the sources cited.

This aspect of US policy has not gotten a lot of coverage recently, however its usefulness in putting many recent events into perspective cannot be overstated.

This usefulness is not point-of-view dependent. Admirers of US policy will be relieved to note that the US is making some fantastic progress in the war on terror, and those who may be having some questions or misgivings about some aspects of the policies can add this one to your thoughts.

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