U.S. Pentagon: Domestic Propaganda Campaign

"In war, truth is the first casualty" - Aeschylus

Propaganda (prŏp'ə-gān'də) - a concerted set of the messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people.

More and more, media analysts are having a greater impact on the television media network coverage of military issues. They have a huge amount of influence on what stories the networks decide to cover proactively with regard to the military. Consequently, they influence the views on related issues so we should be concerned when we discover that many of these so-called 'independent analyst' were part of a program orchestrated by the Pentagon to shape our views on the Iraq war, Guantanamo Bay and other hot military issues.

Major television and cable news networks may have been complicit in this program. The military analysts most commonly used by MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS and NBC routinely received instructions about what to say in their appearances from the Pentagon. Since the story first broke, there has been a deafening silence from many of these networks since it reflects so poorly on them. Media outlets and their corporate parents rely on the Government for all sorts of favors and access and, in return, do nothing to displease them. The Bush administration itself proudly touts its ability to control media content and ensure the presence only of pro-Government voices with regard to war and military matters.

It's true that there are plenty of people who understand the core government-amplifying function of the establishment media, but there are also plenty of people -- likely far more -- who don't. That's precisely why the television networks are so eager to suppress and conceal these revelations and the endlessly illuminating evidence which supports them.

David Barstow of the New York Times first broke the story:

• Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand
  

The Pentagon has been forced to release roughly 8,000 pages and audio tapes regarding their "military analyst" program. You can review them yourself here and draw your own conclusions:

• Documents released to the New York Times regarding the Pentagon's Military Analyst program.
  

Excerpts within this story were gathered from two articles posted by Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com:

• CNN, the Pentagon's "military analyst program" and Gitmo
  
• How the military analyst program controlled news coverage: in the Pentagon's own words
  

Related coverage from various websites:

• Source Watch: Pentagon military analyst program
• SPJ Says Media Must Hold Their Military Analysts to Journalistic Standards
• Beware cosy deals between politicians and their pundits

Shiites, Sunnis, What?!

Enlighten me, please.

Our military is befriending and arming the Sunnis in Iraq to help us temper the Shiites according to various reports. It's all part of the surge.

• The Shiites are the predominate force within the Iraqi government.
• Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is a Shiite.
• Moqtada al-Sadr, theologian, political leader and militia commander, is a Shiite.
• Moqtada al-Sadr seems to have the backing of Iran.
• The leader of Iran, a predominately Shiite nation, thinks Israel was most likely behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks thus providing an excuse for the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions.
• Most Sunni's don't care for Shiite's and vice-versa.


• al Qaeda is a Sunni organization.
• The 2nd in command of al Qaeda, Al-Zawahiri, denied the conspiracy theory that Israel carried out the September 11 attacks on the U.S., and he blamed Iran and Shiite Hezbollah for spreading the idea to discredit the Sunni al Qaeda's achievement.

Bottom line: Our current administration has created one gigantic mess! The next U.S. President will certainly have his/her hands full and if it's a Democrat, the Right will be quick to point the finger if there are any missteps.

The Myth of the Surge offers more details.

I welcome a response from anyone (left, right, middle) who can unravel this mess and explain the best path forward.

info@ruinousright.com

Body of War

Body of War is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. Meet Tomas Young, 25 years old, paralyzed from a bullet to his spine - wounded after serving in Iraq for less than a week.

Body of War is Tomas' coming home story as he evolves into a new person, coming to terms with his disability and finding his own unique and passionate voice against the war. The film is produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, and features two original songs by Eddie Vedder. Body of War is a naked and honest portrayal of what it's like inside the body, heart and soul of this extraordinary and heroic young man.

Body of War is an award-winning film that will be in select theaters beginning April 11th. 

Visit the Body of War Website to view the trailer and for more information.

Follow the lead of anti-warriors like Tomas and take action to help end the war and bring our troops home!

• Vote!
• Stop the next war now!
• Support GI resistance
• Demand the best for our vets
• Go on record against the war
• Twist the arm of Congress

Hear the songs that inspired an Iraq War veteran. The double-disk album includes tracks from:

• Eddie Vedder
• Pearl Jam
• Bruce Springsteen
• John Lennon
• Neil Young
• Michael Franti & Spearhead
• Ben Harper
• Roger Waters
• Many more

Album CD
Album digital download
Album website

The Myth of the Surge

Nir Rosen wrote an in depth piece for Rolling Stone last month disputing the effectiveness of the surge in Iraq. Fortunately for the Right it appears to be working, but if you dig a little deeper it's more like a ticking time bomb. Click here for more.

WMD Lies

Was it simply bad intelligence or was the truth distorted in the march to war? We've compiled four videos that show our leaders contradicting themselves and each other before and after the start of the Iraq war. You view, you decide.