The Pentagon's "hidden hand" behind the military analysts on your TV.
The NYTimes has a giant story about the Pentagon's efforts to shape American opinion through the "military analysts" presented unquestioningly on every single network.
It's way too long to excerpt effectively, but, seriously, read at least the first few pages.
Internal Pentagon documents repeatedly refer to the military analysts as “message force multipliers” or “surrogates” who could be counted on to deliver administration “themes and messages” to millions of Americans “in the form of their own opinions.”....
Some warned of planned stories or sent the Pentagon copies of their correspondence with network news executives. Many — although certainly not all — faithfully echoed talking points intended to counter critics.
It's way too long to excerpt effectively, but, seriously, read at least the first few pages.
posted by mikevotes at
7:30 AM
6 Comments:
I wasn't surprised to see that Fox News used the largest number of these "objective" observers.
What a disgrace these talking puppet heads are. In order to keep collecting their $1000/TV appearance fees, they know they have to unquestioningly spread the admin's propaganda or risk "jeopardizing their access."
In the old days, we used to call this selling out.
By
Anonymous, at 10:24 AM
Did you see the "Fox refused to cooperate with this report" or whatever it was?
One of the things I have thought for a while, "If this administration conducted this war as well and as hard as they sold this war....."
And, let me add that it's not just selling out, it's selling out your country to some degree.
By
mikevotes, at 10:50 AM
Selling out 4000+ Soldiers and 50,000+ Iraqi civilians for a small bag of gold. Judas doesn't hang himself in shame. He joins a thinktank and works as a talking head.
By
matt, at 11:16 AM
That's where the money is.
Judas coulda made alot more.
By
mikevotes, at 2:07 PM
I was heartened to see this story front page center on the NYT Sunday edition.
It's my hope (a vain, wishful one, probably) that Joe Everyguy starts to see that we've been snowed from the beginning. So many of us are aware of the obvious posturing, but apparently not enough of a critical mass.
(Given that the Neocon administration wants us to be endlessly circling the drain in Iraq, and in Afghanistan, what do they actually get out of it? Is it just the multi-billions they gain as war profiteers, or is there some other Great Game explanation?)
By
r8r, at 10:51 PM
The broad majority has arrived at a fairly calcified "Iraq bad" understanding. They certainly blame Bush for getting us into it, although I don't really have a sense of their perception of deceit.
However, WMD has become a cultural joke of sorts.
.....
As for great game, I think the intent was to surround and influence Iran. As Iraq has backed up, I think the strategy in staying there is to try and prevent Iran from influencing back into Iraq.
By
mikevotes, at 7:06 AM
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