I don’t know if anyone has posted this, but it seems that the Military is getting ready for another war, this time against us.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4655196.stm
By Adam Brookes
BBC Pentagon correspondentA newly declassified document gives a fascinating glimpse into the US military’s plans for “information operations” – from psychological operations, to attacks on hostile computer networks.
More down there. Down where? Down there!
As the world turns networked, the Pentagon is calculating the military opportunities that computer networks, wireless technologies and the modern media offer.
From influencing public opinion through new media to designing “computer network attack” weapons, the US military is learning to fight an electronic war.
The declassified document is called “Information Operations Roadmap”. It was obtained by the National Security Archive at George Washington University using the Freedom of Information Act.
Well, at least a FOIA request was answered for once. That being said, I have no more good news in regards to this. It gets worse.
Perhaps the most startling aspect of the roadmap is its acknowledgement that information put out as part of the military’s psychological operations, or Psyops, is finding its way onto the computer and television screens of ordinary Americans.
“Information intended for foreign audiences, including public diplomacy and Psyops, is increasingly consumed by our domestic audience,” it reads.
“Psyops messages will often be replayed by the news media for much larger audiences, including the American public,” it goes on.
So far, the military has not been exactly convincing in its propaganda. Plus, dispite the efforts of Bush and company, our troops have integrity to spare, and have a habit of letting cats like these out of the bag.
Public awareness of the US military’s information operations is low, but it’s growing – thanks to some operational clumsiness.
Late last year, it emerged that the Pentagon had paid a private company, the Lincoln Group, to plant hundreds of stories in Iraqi newspapers. The stories – all supportive of US policy – were written by military personnel and then placed in Iraqi publications.
And websites that appeared to be information sites on the politics of Africa and the Balkans were found to be run by the Pentagon.
I’m not a lawyer, but I don’t think this is exactly legal. If there is a way to shut this down, we gotta get on it.
While I have to say the BBC has declined somewhat in recent years, It is still light years ahead of the American media. Props to Mr. Adam Brookes. What are the chances we’ll get coverage of this on Faux News? Slim to none. Oh well, we’ll just have to keep hammering. Every little bit helps, said the old lady, as she pissed into the sea.