US Army in control at CNN?

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I have been lurking for the past several months and this is my first attempt at a post. It seems the US Army phychological warfare people are now working at CNN and giving us our "news". Kinda new at computers. Here's where the article can be found - and much more: emperors-clothes.com/articles/devries/psyops

-- brock gannon (brockgannon@gnc.net), February 28, 2000

Answers

Sorry, that is a bad link. Does not work.

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), February 28, 2000.

Sorry about the link. Try finding at emperors-clothes.com Scroll down for article. Brock

-- brock gannon (brockgannon@gnc.net), February 28, 2000.

LINK

-- canthappen (n@ysayer.com), February 28, 2000.

Trouw, 21 February, 2000 By Abe de Vries

Translated from the Dutch by an Emperors-Clothes volunteer

www.tenc.net [emperors-clothes]

WASHINGTON, ATLANTA - For a short time last year, CNN employed military specialists in 'psychological operations' (psyops). This was confirmed to Trouw by a spokesman of the U.S. Army. The military could have influenced CNN's news reports about the crisis in Kosovo.

"Psyops personnel, soldiers and officers, have been working in CNN's headquarters in Atlanta through our programme 'Training With Industry,'" said Major Thomas Collins of the U.S. Army Information Service in a telephone interview last Friday. "They worked as regular employees of CNN. Conceivably, they would have worked on stories during the Kosovo war. They helped in the production of news.''

These military, a "handful" according to Collins, stayed with CNN for at least a couple of weeks "to get to know the company and to broaden their horizons''. Collins maintains that "they didn't work under the control of the army." The temporary outplacement of U.S. Army psyops personnel in various sectors of society began a couple of years ago. Contract periods vary from a couple of weeks to one year.

CNN is the biggest and most widely viewed news station in the world. The intimate liaisons with army psyops specialists raise serious doubts about CNN's journalistic integrity and independence. The military CNN-personnel belonged to the airmobile Fourth Psychological Operations Group, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. One of the main tasks of this group of almost 1200 soldiers and officers is to spread 'selected information'.

American psyops troops try with a variety of techniques to influence media and public opinion in armed conflicts in which American state interests are said to be at stake. The propaganda group was involved in the Gulf war, the Bosnian war and the crisis in Kosovo.

So far CNN has not commented on the allegations. "I don't believe that we would employ military personnel; it doesn't seem like something we would normally do," said CNN-spokeswoman Megan Mahoney on Friday evening. But when the U.S. Army Information Service confirmed the news, Mahoney said she would have to contact CNN's senior officials. However, on Sunday evening CNN still could not provide an offical statement to Trouw.

CNN's coverage of the war in Kosovo, and that of other media, has attracted criticism from several sides as having been one-sided, overly emotional, over-simplified and relying too heavily on NATO officials. On the other hand, journalists have complained about the lack of reliable information from NATO; for almost all of them it was impossible to be on the battlefield and file first-hand reports.

For more on the connection between CNN and U.S. Army opinion-control operations, see 'The American army loves CNN'

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), February 28, 2000.


Oh! How lovely. Another classic example of your tax dollars at work...propaganda. Could Goebbels have done it any better?

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), February 28, 2000.


HYPNOTIC.jpg (982 bytes)HYPNOTIC.jpg (982 bytes)
chulnose1.gif (1818 bytes)
case3a.jpg (5849 bytes)

 

Listen to meeee....

You are sleeeepy.......go back to sleeep...

~Wolf Blitzer



-- Ivan (working@ntherailroadallthelivelong.day), February 28, 2000.

I remember when the big-time action at Kosovo broke out: went to CNN's int'l chat page (hey, CNN was blacking us out, remember?) to get the details from overseas.

The foreigners on the board truly couldn't believe they knew more than Americans. 'Selective reporting', you say?

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), February 28, 2000.


Kosovo? What about... Y2K? Any brain manipulators reporting on Y2K?

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), February 28, 2000.

Well, there was one but he hasn't been active since the 4th of this month. ;)

-- Mikey2k (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), February 28, 2000.

Just some regular employees of Mind Head international (see movie Bowfinger)

-- y2k aware mike (y2k aware mike @ conservation . com), February 29, 2000.


Hi Brock,

Wanted to let you know that the website posting this information is questionable to say the least. Much has been taken out of context.

The website information or whoever is providing the information for the website, is typical and consistent with Serbian propaganda, in my opinion. It is common for the Serbs to use the Internet as part of their own "Psycological Operations". I can not say for certain that it is, at this point...but I am very skeptical of the information they are providing and the approach they are taking.

The photograph on the site appears to be computer enhanced, and the site requests donations. Also, the site makes reference to *PSYOPs* - plural...the correct acronym is PSYOP, not plural. That, right there, is a dead give away that the information is not accurate. This is the first thing taught to anyone who works in PSYOP. Occasionally a soldier will screw up and pluralize it, but you can be sure the commanding officer will correct him or her.

One of the articles talks about a symposium. To attend that particular symposium requires a Secret clearance--minimum, although most attendees have Top Secret clearances. Sometimes a conference is open to NGO's and civilians, but only non-classified information would be presented. A good example would the "Mine Awareness" programs that deal with deming. Colonel St. John would not give out classified information. He is man of integrity, and one of the best around IMHO. People have a great deal of respect for him.

It is common for PSYOP students to visit TV, Newspapers, Radio stations etc. as part of their training. PSYOP produces videos, etc. and they learn a lot by visiting these facilities. It is essential for them to understand the media, and certainly most of the training would be done here. Atlanta/CNN is not too far from Bragg. They also make trips to DC and they frequently visit the local media in Fayetteville.

I am in the process of putting a letter together for Jeff Rense, who posted this article on his website. Jeff is particular about having valid info on his site. I have corresponded with Jeff in the past, and I am impressed with his style.

The US Army does not conduct Psycological Operations on American citizens. I don't have the code number in front of me, I will get it for you.

I hope some of this information is helpful so it will put your mind at ease. I will be tracking this particular story and will pass on any additional information I have. Bear in mind that attacks come in many forms. Most every country has their own PSYOP units, and the ones who are *mad* at us, will use the internet to discredit our media and military. It's just part of their campaign.

Thank you for posting this, and congratulations on your first post!

Best wishes,

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), March 01, 2000.


The US Army does not conduct Psycological Operations on American citizens.

I take no particular position on this Army/CNN story nor on the web site on which it's posted. I don't have enough facts to have an opinion either way.

However, given the past verified and proven history of lies, manipulation and deceit of the U.S. government towards its own citizenry ranging from the Department of Energy to the Public Health Service I find it very plausible that our own military would do such a thing. They too are a part of the U.S. federal government. In this particular case I have no evidence that they have nor am I claiming that they did, I just find it plausible. I find it to be so because our government has a terrible credibility problem that they have created for themselves for, oh, about the last 150 years but most especially since the end of the Second World War.

This puts the federal government in the position of having to prove a negative but having made their bed they can lay in it. I'm through with putting any faith in them at all. With every passing scandal that breaks out in my lifetime there are more it seems who also would vote no confidence in their government, regardless of political party.

A sad situation, really.

........Alan.

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), March 01, 2000.


Alan,

Good point.

I agree there is a credibility problem with the federal government. And our enemies are aware of that also. This, in a sense, is a vulnerability...so, they play on the American people's vulnerabilites...it's part of their own agendas. No nation is without it's faults. Our enemies love to "market" this concept and play it for everything it's worth. It is a common practice for enemy nations to put up bogus websites.

It is important to check for sources of information such as this. Propaganda is used as a tool to divide and conquer. Much of the information at that website is not accurate and has its own 'spin' placed on it. I do not view that site as a credible source.

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), March 01, 2000.


PS

Forgot to mention to Ivan about that picture LOLOLOLOL

I laughed so hard the tears were rolling down my cheeks. When I showed my husband, he laughed hysterically too. We like it so much we made a copy of it and put it up. Thanks a million for the humor. Lord knows we need it sometimes. =)

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), March 01, 2000.


Brock,

Here is the code number related to PSYOP: 10 USC 4415

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), March 02, 2000.



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