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Sen. John McCain walks with Lt. Gen. William Caldwell at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan on January 6, 2009.Senior Airman Brian Ybarbo/U.S. Air Force (Homepage image: AP)February 23, 2011 11:55 PM ETThe U.S. Army illegally ordered a team of soldiers specializing in "psychological operations" to manipulate visiting American senators into providing more troops and funding for the war, Rolling Stone has learned – and when an officer tried to stop the operation, he was railroaded by military investigators.
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The orders came from the command of Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general in charge of training Afghan troops – the linchpin of U.S. strategy in the war. Over a four-month period last year, a military cell devoted to what is known as "information operations" at Camp Eggers in Kabul was repeatedly pressured to target visiting senators and other VIPs who met with Caldwell. When the unit resisted the order, arguing that it violated U.S. laws prohibiting the use of propaganda against American citizens, it was subjected to a campaign of retaliation.
"My job in psy-ops is to play with people’s heads, to get the enemy to behave the way we want them to behave," says Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes, the leader of the IO unit, who received an official reprimand after bucking orders. "I’m prohibited from doing that to our own people. When you ask me to try to use these skills on senators and congressman, you’re crossing a line."
Photos: Psy-Ops and the General
The list of targeted visitors was long, according to interviews with members of the IO team and internal documents obtained by Rolling Stone. Those singled out in the campaign included senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken and Carl Levin; Rep. Steve Israel of the House Appropriations Committee; Adm. Mike Mullen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Czech ambassador to Afghanistan; the German interior minister, and a host of influential think-tank analysts.
The incident offers an indication of just how desperate the U.S. command in Afghanistan is to spin American civilian leaders into supporting an increasingly unpopular war. According to the Defense Department’s own definition, psy-ops – the use of propaganda and psychological tactics to influence emotions and behaviors – are supposed to be used exclusively on "hostile foreign groups." Federal law forbids the military from practicing psy-ops on Americans, and each defense authorization bill comes with a "propaganda rider" that also prohibits such manipulation. "Everyone in the psy-ops, intel, and IO community knows you’re not supposed to target Americans," says a veteran member of another psy-ops team who has run operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "It’s what you learn on day one."
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When Holmes and his four-man team arrived in Afghanistan in November 2009, their mission was to assess the effects of U.S. propaganda on the Taliban and the local Afghan population. But the following month, Holmes began receiving orders from Caldwell’s staff to direct his expertise on a new target: visiting Americans. At first, the orders were administered verbally. According to Holmes, who attended at least a dozen meetings with Caldwell to discuss the operation, the general wanted the IO unit to do the kind of seemingly innocuous work usually delegated to the two dozen members of his public affairs staff: compiling detailed profiles of the VIPs, including their voting records, their likes and dislikes, and their "hot-button issues." In one email to Holmes, Caldwell’s staff also wanted to know how to shape the general’s presentations to the visiting dignitaries, and how best to "refine our messaging."
Congressional delegations – known in military jargon as CODELs – are no strangers to spin. U.S. lawmakers routinely take trips to the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan, where they receive carefully orchestrated briefings and visit local markets before posing for souvenir photos in helmets and flak jackets. Informally, the trips are a way for generals to lobby congressmen and provide first-hand updates on the war. But what Caldwell was looking for was more than the usual background briefings on senators. According to Holmes, the general wanted the IO team to provide a "deeper analysis of pressure points we could use to leverage the delegation for more funds." The general’s chief of staff also asked Holmes how Caldwell could secretly manipulate the U.S. lawmakers without their knowledge. "How do we get these guys to give us more people?" he demanded. "What do I have to plant inside their heads?"
Friday 4 March 2011
Another Runaway General: Army Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators | Rolling Stone Politics
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COMMENTS
Jim Brown
Great Reporting Michael. This story reminds me of Vietnam in 1968. When US senators & congressmen would come over, they would be taken into briefings by intelligence officers. I witnessed a few. After the briefings, the senators & congressmen, republican & democrats would ask how we could end the war. The officers would always say -- more troops need to be sent to Vietnam & more money given to the pentagon, and the war could be ended soon after. Of course this was not true, the war would just escalate.
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Doug Wilson
psy-ops is really the wrong word. Where I come from we call this lying. I'm glad the story is here for what it says about people responsible for people's lives and public funds. We need about 20,000 more people digging around in the military's back room deals.
GM Roper
Any one who bought this story needs to have their heads examined. RS, this means you. I haven't chuckled so much since the 50s /60s when subliminal stimulation in movies was thought to be a real thing. Jeeze folks, get a life.
Clay Fondren
What was done in Afghanistan is minor compared to what could have been done. The good news is the government doesn't have this technology, yet. The bad news is Uncle Sam will do just about anything until they do.
Meme insertion which is target specific is the future of psychological warfare.
A new book, The Mem Master: Meme Warfare for God and Country details this new weapon.
Scott Marquardt
Wow, now that this story has completely fallen apart, I wonder if Huffpo will draw attention to its flaws.
Nah. Damage done. And that's really the mission of Rolling Stone -- and HuffPo.
Mihai Vasile
I am a former military psyoper who was engaged in Kosovo and Afghanistan with PSYOPS international structures, including Americans. What is depicted in this article it is not PSYOPS. It is just the desire of a jurnalist to rich a "sensational" story, nothing more. Every commender is trying to imprese a politician in order to get something! What is wrong on that?
Jay Roberts
Mike, you are proving yourself to be the Rick Flair of journalists... Rolling Stone the new WWF? What's next? Ya' gonna' DDT someone off the top rope? What a flippin' joke. Media, journalists, money whores no different from the rest, anything for buck. SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! (insert Monster Truck pull off show voice here)
You have been living under the guise that "the pen is mightier than the sword" for far too long. You may very well wake one day to find that sword to your scrawny neck... your pleas will go unanswered, but maybe you can write about it? Maybe even put yourself in for the Medal of Honor, posthumously? Any chance we could get you to jump off the planet without a parachute?
Leah Daziens
Runaway Journalism -- "Michael Hastings uses Psyops on Rolling Stone" --
Real journalists check out their sources...
Rajiv Chandrasekaran at the Washington Post was able to do that -- revealing what a joke Hasting's supposed "reporting" is.
Apparently the St. Petersburg Times -- and probably the National Enquirer, Star Magazine, and the Weekly World News -- declined to publish this bit of silliness before Hastings and Rolling Stone -- decided to embrace Holmes, who has the credibility of Richard Heene of the "Balloon Boy" saga.
And, WHY is a Facebook account required in order to comment on this article ???
Jeff Archuleta
vimeo.com/7761485
Expertly shot & edited. Done with so much insight & attention to detail that most women who see it can't believe it was created by a man.
'King' Michael Herbert
As a combat veteran and former PSYOP soldier I would like to say that this article has made me lose all faith in Rolling Stone as a credible news source. This is a complete fabrication and you should be held accountable for the madness you're spreading. PSYOP (not psy-ops) is never used against American citizens. Never.
Mark Montgomery
I am a current (and trained) PSYOP officer. First of all, I would like everyone to understand that what Mr. Holmes was allegedly asked to do in Afghanistan was wrong and he was correct in resisting those orders, but it was NOT Psychological Operations. The simple fact is that Mr. Hunt is NOT a Psychological Operations Soldier and he had absolutely no training as such. He probably attended a 3 week IO course with an introductory class on PSYOP. That's it. It is a common misconception (even in the military, unfortunately) that Information Operations (IO) and Psychological Operations (PSYOP) are one and the same. They are not. IO is merely intended to coordinate the various types of information we distribute on the battlefield into a coherent theme and make sure we do not have conflicting messages ("information fratricide" in military parlance). IO does nothing but coordinate, they do not produce. PSYOP on the other hand is a highly developed process that is intended to change the behavior of a foreign target audience. It is formulated and distributed by extremely smart and well-trained Soldiers. Contrary to what Mr. Hunt and Mr. Hastings are saying on the news circuit, the intent of PSYOP is absolutely NOT to deceive. The basis of everything that PSYOP does is credibility. Every message that goes out is based on true and accurate information. If we cross that line even once with a target audience, they will no longer pay attention to our messages and we are useless. In case anyone has any doubts about our current operations, we cannot and will not kill our way to victory. We will just make more adversaries. We have to win the information war and PSYOP is the cornerstone of that strategy. Mr. Hunt and Mr. Hastings are now spreading misinformation in a very public forum that ultimately hurts our cause. I urge you to seek and spread the truth. Thanks.
Vincent Hansolo
I don't pretend to know what the real story is but, needless to say, you have to try and read
between the lines. The stuff about using new technologies like blogs etc is ridiculous and
is probably a distraction from what what was really used.
I will give you some of the possibilities of what is now old technology.
How about something called the "microwave auditory effect"? See the Wiki entry.
It is the remote delivery of verbal commands to a sleeping target using
frequencies that operate below the level of hearing. It can be used
without the target ever knowing anything happened.
Compared to the elaborate Sci-fi drama portrayed in the movie "Inception"
the reality is a fairly direct and uncomplicated way to influence a person.
Oh, needless to say, this MAE technology is used on US civilians
but probably not by anyone in the active military (isn't that a relief?).
And no, this tech is no longer experimental,
the targets are not terrorists or drug dealers,
and yes, it can involve intense psychological as well
as physical diruption usually involving sleep deprivation.
This description just scratches the surface of possible uses
both negative and positive.
Joe Dettelis
The naivete or disingenuousness of some commenters on this issue amazes me. Gathering background information on Congressional Representatives for PR spin purposes or basic briefing and meeting prep does not require a $6 million dollar Psy-Ops team trained in psychological warfare. And the re-purposing of an ineffective psy-ops team argument is ridiculous. You either have to conclude that we are throwing our money away on ineffective psy-ops teams whose only real fit purpose is basic PR on our most important Citizen power brokers or the capabilities of an effective war team is being abused at the highest levels akin to Treasonous conduct! I am all for full investigation and prosecution of these allegations-- and if the evidence against Lt. Gen. Caldwell reaches the probable cause level, he needs a Court Marshall. These Laws exist for a very good reason- those of you who think you can yawn over this, I think will experience a rude awakening.
Patrick McNulty
So what
Leah Daziens
Joshua Scheiner is exactly right, and Rolling Stone is an Apex Exposure client -- kudos for calling them out on this nonsense. This "psy-ops" is sales / marketing / business -- interpersonal skills 101. WHO doesn't "do their homework" before meetings? The comments over at the Post de Washington are a lot more balanced and less silly.
Seeking to influence people isn't a crime. Here are the crimes:
"it cost American taxpayers roughly $6 million to deploy Holmes and his team in Afghanistan for a year." It's a four person team. Holmes is also involved in an "inappropriate" relationship with a SUBORDINATE and "improperly using his position to start a private business".
My guess is that this was identified as a dysfunctional / incompetent team, so they were stashed and given busy work assisting the public affairs staff on the assumption that they couldn't mess too much up preparing background briefs on visiting dignitaries. Who knew? Lesson learned.
War is deadly serious. This article is complete silliness and a waste of time -- NOT JOURNALISM by any stretch.
Thomas Mc
Silly citizens, thinking the military and CIA are on their side.
Kandan Mobley
While many of you are saying that this story is "full of holes," the military is disagreeing with you. While I initially thought of this as a fluff piece, it is far from it. Internal investigations have been launched and I suspect that this is not going to turn out so well for some involved. This has rather rapidly moved from "liberal activist media" to the documentation of some very serious crimes. It is not surprising to me that some involved in the commission of these crimes don't think they did anything wrong. The law does not allow the criminal to decide which laws should be obeyed and which should not. It is amazing what can happen in a day or so.
Jeff Clagg
This is absurd. I worked with with everyone mentioned in this article and there was no wrong doing by anyone. As the commander of the forces training the Afghan military and police don't you think he should have the backgrounds on the Senators and Congressman coming to visit him. He simply wanted to know where they stood on certain issues as well as I am sure the Senators and Congressmen were briefed on LTG Caldwell and his background prior to meeting him. Everyone in the meetings needed to know where one another stood to gauge the conversations. I am amazed at Rolling Stone thinking they need to report on such issues. Why do they continue to report on military operations in Afghanistan? Is that really what Rolling Stone magazine is about. Leave the military operations to the military and the military will leave Rolling Stone to report on rock n roll as they did in the past. This really angers me that this type of reporting will effect the careers of all involved and the reporter will get a pat on the back for a haphazard report without all the details or knowldege.
Tim Enlow
This story has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. So, here you have John McCain, a man that was imprisoned and tortured by the North Vietnamese for years in an effort to get him to give oral and written anti-American statements, who was interrogated by personnel trained by the Russian KGB, and you think some out of shape "information operations" Colonel at Camp Eggers Kabul is somehow going to sway his opinion without McCain's knowledge? LOL. That's the funniest thing I've read in years! As someone that's spent much time at Camp Eggers and interacted with many of the personnel there, I can only say that I think our American politicians' minds are quite safe from military "psy-ops" campaigns. Let's get real Rolling Stone, this isn't the stuff of "Manchurian Candidate" pys-0ps now is it? What it is in actuality is a damning indictment of how understaffed and under budgeted our military in Afghanistan is. General Caldwell has to wrack his brain in order to figure out how to get the troops and funding he needs in order or accomplish his mission, which is to train Afghan forces in order for the U.S. to eventually turn over the security of Afghanistan to them. Maybe if we provided the military with what it needs it wouldn't have to spend some much time and effort convincing visiting politicians of the painfully obvious. For the record, Rolling Stone doesn't mention the time periods that these visiting "Codels" spend on average with the military. A few hours. That's right, we're to believe that in a average two hour meeting with the military, the politician's brains are being secretly infiltrated and twisted into doing what the military wants them to do. Even for Rolling Stone, this is reporting at its absolute worst!
Mary Michelle Ryckman
I guess out government officials are going to find out what it is like to have their lives destroyed and children raped and killed for compliance. I guess the USA just wanted to perfect what Hilter started. Wishing I were in Israel, with my daughters and lottery winnings! God knows we would be safe there!
Southern Cyber Command has been using me and my daughters for the past 4 years, perfect their ability to EEG intercept/record/manipulate/implant the Prophetic feed from God I receive daily. Pimping a Prophets is a sin, but our Armed Forces, with their greater than God mentality, creating a cartel of gangs to extort our citizen's lives, morality, finances and now - our minds. Look around folks. . . HAARP towers are going up everywhere, and the Silent Sounds audio tracts they are emanating are meant to prosper and protect murders, rapists, thieves, psychopaths . . . and enhance your 'acceptance' of immorality, as NORMAL. If everyone is a criminal, who can be against you? That would make Psy-Ops feel better about all the children it has killed, money it has stolen, people it has raped, citizens it has extorted with its 'Patriot's Act' abuse of wire tapping, home searches, financial manipulation, ect. God help us all. Our enemy is on home soil, and as my dad, Lt. Col. Norman Glenn Sowder (who gave his children and grand children to Psy-Ops for the development of mind altering non-lethal weapons) has said, "I love f**king with people's minds". 'False memory' implants are criminals best friend, as are VeriChips with GPS for our US pedophile/human trafficking cartels, which are supported by local law enforcement and the FBI. Our Armed Forces don't want to have to kill all of the 'valuable' citizen that oppose them, so they will just 'change our minds', take over the monetary system and enslave US citizens by whatever means works. Sounds like 'mafia' to me.
Jack Segal
Another attack against our dedicated warriors. Senator Levin is too smart to not see the half-truths and misleading blind alleys this "reporter" has created in his vivid imagination. Lt. Gen. Bill Caldwell is one of the finest, most dedicated and most effective senior leaders this country has been fortunate to have leading our struggle in Afghanistan (and Iraq). He has been working tirelessly for 18 months to create something that we desperately need -- an effective Afghan military organization -- to get our own troops off the front lines. Lt. Gen. Caldwell's dedicated people are the key to our accomplishing the goals set by the President and they are succeeding in that effort. The numbers tell the story and its not propoganda; I've been there and seen it in action. His command has delivered more well-trained Afghan troops since General Caldwell arrived than were produced in the five years before he took over. It's shameful to try to smear his reputation with such a misleading story. Fortunately, those of us who have seen what he has accomplished are not fooled. J. Segal (veteran of Vietnam, Gulf War and Afghanistan)
Ab S Ibra
Mr. Senators I think it's time for you to give up politics and the Army; lay back and enjoy your millions, let the new generation worry about future of the country!
Jakob Lemy Zook
Don't want to sound like a smart elick here. But, while some of you are yawning here with this info leak a lot of people are getting maimed, killed and lives destroyed because of stuff like this. This war is useless and is a for profit war. If there was a real war going our enemy would have been wiped off the face of the earth in about 3 seconds. This is just the first small step in our highly censored society to expose what is really going on in PsyOps such as Project Monarch and the thousands of children that we're and still are being experimented on for MIND CONTROL Psy Ops. Mainly at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds Military base in Maryland.
Jakob Lemy Zook
This is one of a many first exposure stories that need to come out to let the public know about the secrecy of Project Monarch. And, the thousands of children that were and still are subjected to Mengele style Mind Control experiments.
Joshua Scheiner
PsyOps & Propaganda - Military code speak for public relations. Really? We're getting this upset over the military's PR campaign to get more funding? YAWN.
Chuck Heppner
U.S. General Accounting Office Report
The U.S. General Accounting Office issued a report on September 28, 1994, which stated that between 1940 and 1974, DOD and other national security agencies studied thousands of human subjects in tests and experiments involving hazardous substances.
The quote from the study:
... Working with the CIA, the Department of Defense gave hallucinogenic drugs to thousands of "volunteer" soldiers in the 1950s and 1960s. In addition to LSD, the Army also tested quinuclidinyl benzilate, a hallucinogen code-named BZ. (Note 37) Many of these tests were conducted under the so-called MKULTRA program, established to counter perceived Soviet and Chinese advances in brainwashing techniques. Between 1953 and 1964, the program consisted of 149 projects involving drug testing and other studies on unwitting human subjects...
Given the CIA's purposeful destruction of most records, its failure to follow informed consent protocols with thousands of participants, the uncontrolled nature of the experiments, and the lack of follow-up data, the full impact of MKULTRA experiments, including deaths, will never be known.
The project's intentionally oblique CIA cryptonym is made up of the digraph MK, meaning that the project was sponsored by the agency's Technical Services Division, followed by the word ULTRA (which had previously been used to designate the most secret classification of World War II intelligence). Other related cryptonyms include MKNAOMI, which is the US Navy and MKDELTA.
Bobby Hanafin
We at Veterans Today have done a little digging (but not enough that's Rolling Stone's job, man). The first thing we noted was the general's interest and promotion of U.S. and international online social networks to tell the Army's story [but is this really propaganda in the traditional sense? Is this promoting psyops against the American people?]
Keep in mind that Psychological Warfare Units do not own a monopoly on spreading propaganda that is what Pentagon Public Affairs in collaboration with mainstream media does. Put another way, as PSYOPs George Kooshian also knows psyops doesn't have to do propaganda in Iraq, Afghanistan, or here at home to win hearts and minds. Their main focus is on demoralizing the enemy (however defined).
The first Pentagon propaganda effort aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the American public was AmericaSupportsYou.mil (a pet project of former DEFSEC Don Rumsfeld). ASY in fact was doing a pretty good job with the mass marches and demonstrations outside the Pentagon in support of the wars using active duty military families and troops to promote the propaganda effort. Had ASY not misappropriated funds intended for military family Moral, Welfare, and Recreation use, plus made unsavory contracts with private industry giving the illusion that the Pentagon endorsed this company or that product, AmericaSupportsYou.mil would still be the lead propaganda effort run by Pentagon Public Affairs. However, ASY was just getting use to exploiting the growing number of online social networks (Facebook, Twitter, and such) when ASY was shut down and hidden in the bowels of the Pentagon.
Enter LTC Caldwell. In an interview the general gave to a friendlier audience that appeared in the online edition of IOSphere in the Summer 2009 titled: Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV On New Media [Online Social Networks] in Military Operations. The general notes that "the contemporary evolution of the [mainstream] news industry is simply a fact we [the Army] need to adjust to. By actively engaging the new media [online social networking], we are availing ourselves of more opportunities than ever to 'tell the Army’s story.' Last year [2008], a Pew Poll revealed that the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan failed to make the top 15 news stories of the year. Even if only a snapshot, such results demonstrate an important disconnect between the American public and the life-or-death concerns of those who serve in uniform. New media can help us bridge this gap. The American people can now digest our [Army] story without a filter (p. 25).
IO Sphere Editor: How do you consider the knowledge of these technologies and the ability to employ them in [military] operations? Can effectiveness in their utilization be equated with effectively operating in the field or employing a weapon system?
“Whatever the situation, we know that future operations will be conducted among the people.” LTG Caldwell
LTG Caldwell: Absolutely. Soldiers today require core competencies that embrace the full spectrum of [military] operations – from peacekeeping to the employment of kinetic means. Whatever the situation, we know that future [military] operations will be conducted among the people. The ability to communicate across a wide variety of platforms will remain central to reaching various audiences for various reasons. We must never cede either the ground on which we choose to engage or the means." END OF QUOTE
Though not mentioning psychological warfare per se, and LTG Caldwell’s responses in this interview with IOSphere must be taken in full context of the entire interview, the general does admire the potential use of social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc…) to tell 'the Army story without filtering.'
This can only be interpreted to mean one sided reporting, because anyone familiar with public affairs of any military service knows for a fact that the Army, Marines, Navy, or Air Forces does not tell any story about our services but positive ones.
Military public affairs does not do negative stories about the Army and so on. However, that is how it's always been. If the American public is too ignorant to figure this out then yep we will be in Iraq and Afghanistan for a long, long, long time or until the troops that we are exploiting (especially the National Guard and Reserves) RUN OUT.
It could be argued that most of the general’s responses to this interview could be defined as using psychological warfare operations not only on U.S. government officials, but as LTG Caldwell says, “Whatever the situation, we know that future [military] operations will be conducted among the people.”
However, I believe that the general is actually referring to Pentagon Public Affairs type operations NOT psychological warfare. Put another way, if Psyops units began operating toward the American people within CONUS it would not take very long for the few intelligence people remaining in the American public to figure this out.
Regardless, LTG Caldwell himself has even used the Huffington Post on two occasions to test the public reception of spreading 'the Army's story' on what is commonly viewed as a progressive [OK, Liberal] news and social network.
On 13 Sep 2010, LTG Caldwell had posted Literacy As a Matter of Life and Death. In this of only two articles posted on Huffington Post by the general, LTG Caldwell goes beyond the need for the U.S. to teach Afghan Security Forces literacy to ensuring the entire Afghan population is literate. In regards to the use of Huffington Post to spread propaganda, one only need read the general’s concluding remarks, note how LTG Caldwell makes the case for staying in Afghanistan long term.
“Though the creation of these mandatory literacy courses in the past ten months have supported the professionalization of the Afghan National Security Force and educated many students, it will take time and sustained effort to educate an entire generation of Afghans to the level necessary to create professional leaders and allow for the specialization of the force.
[Here comes the pitch] Building up the Afghan people in this way is in stark contrast to the approach of Afghanistan's enemies. Where we build up, they tear down. While we are improving the future of the Afghan people through education and development, the Taliban and its allies are destroying schools, poisoning children, and maiming civilians. Let us continue to provide Afghans the skills like literacy that they need to survive and thrive, while fighting to defeat those that promise only death.
Well as long as the Army or our military in general is not responsible for spreading literacy throughout the Afghan population, which obviously is not a military operation but diplomatic or better yet charitable non-government organization or UN obligation
On 13 Sep 2010, LTG Caldwell had posted (rest assured LTG Caldwell is not personally posting these tidbits of information about winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan and the U.S. some subordinate staff member is posting blog articles that the general most likely blessed) Literacy As a Matter of Life and Death. In this of only two articles posted on Huffington Post by the general, LTG Caldwell goes beyond the need for the U.S. to teach Afghan Security Forces literacy to ensuring the entire Afghan population is literate. In regards to the use of Huffington Post to spread propaganda, one only need read the general’s concluding though, not how LTG Caldwell makes the case for staying in Afghanistan long term.
“Though the creation of these mandatory literacy courses in the past ten months have supported the professionalization of the Afghan National Security Force and educated many students, it will take time and sustained effort to educate an entire generation of Afghans to the level necessary to create professional leaders and allow for the specialization of the force.
[Here comes the pitch] Building up the Afghan people in this way is in stark contrast to the approach of Afghanistan's enemies. Where we build up, they tear down. While we are improving the future of the Afghan people through education and development, the Taliban and its allies are destroying schools, poisoning children, and maiming civilians. Let us continue to provide Afghans the skills like literacy that they need to survive and thrive, while fighting to defeat those that promise only death.
Well as long as the Army or our military in general is not responsible for spreading literacy throughout the Afghan population, which obviously is not a military operation but diplomatic or better yet charitable non-government organization or UN obligation.
On 25 Sep 2010, Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell, IV posted "Inspirational Leaders, Incredible Impact. (Rest assured LTG Caldwell is not personally posting these tidbits of information about winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan and the U.S. some subordinate staff member is posting blog articles that the general most likely blessed)
For a full listing of how the Rolling Stone expose has spread across the internet social networks (and hard copy) see Latest Lt. Gen. William Caldwell News on Military Industry Today (Google it)
There are 15 external links covering the Rolling Stone expose of Lt. Gen. Caldwell on what can be considered a Defense Industry Social Network - Military Industry Today.
In closing, we at Veterans Today believe that it behooves Rolling Stone to do a lot more digging when it attempts to bring down senior military officers in the future. However, enough negative press has been generated that also blames members of Congress for being gullible (now who is surprised by this?) to most likely force LTG Caldwell into retirement.
What amazes me most is that there is not a Pentagon or Military Service Public Affairs entity anywhere in the world who doesn't NOW know the intent of Rolling Stone is to dig up enough dirt on senior U.S. military leaders, especially field commanders in two very QUESTIONABLE, if not unpopular wars. Common sense tells us that by now Military Public Affairs units are providing briefings to senior field commanders to be alert when Rolling Stone's heading their way. I believe the impact Rolling Stone has had on getting one significant field commander fired and working on another general has provided Rolling Stone enough leverage to get past any obstacles Pentagon Public Affairs throws their way.
Pentagon, and Military Service Public Affairs offices in-country Iraq and Afghanistan have gone overboard in trying to control and manipulate American media. Frankly, they've been relatively successful at it.
There is more than one reason that both negative and positive stories of Iraq and Afghanistan are kept out of mainstream media for not being a public attention getter today (yawn). It could be more than mainstream media collaborating with military public affairs to keep a tap [media blackout] on the occupations, the media simply may be tired of the propaganda and attempts to control and manipulate the media by the military - who knows?
ROBERT L. HANAFIN, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, U.S. Civil Service-Retired, Veterans Today News Network, Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor.
Andy Huang
a strict censorship here caused problem to post the thorough comment... seems a ref to external link is prohibited plus many blacklisted words implemented here :-(
sorry for the resulted annoying duplicates
Andy Huang
people should realize that mil industrial complex, the high rank mil officers and the involved politicians are all reaping enormous benefits from....wars :-D privates and other low ranks are dispensable, they're number only... and taxpayers' money is at free
Read further how the super elite bankers lead the revolutions in the ME:
bit.ly/gvakxy
and who possesses the ultimate powers:
bit.ly/ieHWoW
also the venerable work: bit.ly/dxBn7a
yet BEYOND ALL above, read this ultimate thought-provoking revelation: scr.bi/dEbmgh
read also online the mind-changing ref: bit.ly/hsbNwK
for about two millenniums, the most powerful, invisible hands nearly unfathomable are stirring the mankind destiny from behind... :-(
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” — George Santayana
Bobby Hanafin
We at Veterans Today News Network [VT] are beginning to take a closer look at this story. As the Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor on the Editorial Board of Veterans Today, I don't have the time or energy to review ALL the responses to this article here on the Rolling Stone comments section, but one fact is very clear: The American public has been bombarded with so much military propaganda that by now WE should not only be use to it, but able to separate propaganda from fact.
When it comes to the occupations (liberation or wars take your pick) of Iraq and Afghanistan there is always going to be those who blindly support military operations regardless the COSTS in $$$ and lives opposite those who question or out right oppose the wars. Winning the hearts and minds of an American public that (1) cannot relate to our military, (2) cannot relate to the wars, (3) as long as they are not asked to commit or sacrifice in the war effort are just satisfied to spout, "Oh, we support the troops, as long as THEY do the fighting and dying NOT my kid."
WE THE PEOPLE have been bombarded with propaganda to win our hearts and minds from ALL SIDES since 2001 and intensified in 2003 [those who passionately promote the wars to those who passionately oppose them] to be fair and balanced. The debate on this blog is evidence of this. Though I'm a retired military officer who does question the continued fiscal costs of the occupations, for I'm a fiscal conservative, by definition I'm not a pacifist or pure anti-war despite being VT's Peace Activism Editor, we simply decided to give the Peace Movement a voice it does not have due to public apathy toward the wars that frankly impacts those who seriously promote the occupations AND those who oppose them. However, American public apathy towards the wars does more harm to those military families and troops who are the only American's truly committed to the occupations more than anyone, if they wish to be or not.
That said, I have to agree with some of the Support the War and You Better Support the Troops or Else crowd calling the Rolling Stone expose just another case of propaganda, although I do not contend this article is psyops for unless Rolling Stone has hired Veterans who are trained Psyops types, psychological warfare does take specialized training that now includes the use of online social networks, because the mainstream media simply IS NOT paying attention to the occupations regardless the motive(s). PSYOPs George Kooshian knows this.
That said, I believe Rolling Stone should have dug deeper beyond just one source [a Psyops Team Leader] instead of grand standing on its success at bringing down General MacCrystal. In fact, digging deeper is what Rolling Stone and other media outlets is going to have to do to continue bringing down senior U.S. military leaders. Good place to start is gathering background to LTG Caldwell, how he thinks (what he thinks) and has he indicated any intent to use propaganda to win the hearts and minds of not only Afghans but Congress, the troops actually doing the street fighting (Majors and above do not do street level fighting) or the American public in general?
Jared Parent
Psyop on U.S. citizens; how absurd, ludicrious and outright scandelous. The government must be cracking down so that we don't all revolt and protest like middle eastern countries around the world. Their tactful ploys to mind control us with their super soldiers works so well we don't even know it's happened. That is, until a man with extraordinary prowess, dedication and unlimited knowledge has shown us the light. Some may call him slanderous, ignorant and egotisticial. However, this great shepherd has reclaimed his flock from the propagandist American government. His bravery for writing about topics he has absolutely no knowledge about is admirable. The man would be the type of person who dives into the show Lost during season 5 and writes about the entire show with the confidence and swagger of Justin Bieber and the knowledge of a garden gnome.
(Sarcasm off) I'm starting to wonder what people think happened. Do you think he sent a team of guys over and they said "these aren't the droids your looking for"? No, the government does not have jedi powers and America (contrary to popular belief) does not own a Death Star. So those of you who continue to stoke the flames with your conspiracy theories and outlandish ideas have succesfully just lowered the IQ of everyone who has read your comments.
To Mr. Michael Hastings, you sir are an earworm - a parasite laying your idiotic thoughts and ideals onto the unwitting populace. I'd even go as far as to say you're worse than Glenn Beck (at least he researches what he argues about).
In closing, this article - beside being borderline treason and radicalizing portions of the population - is egregious in nature, changing perceptions by tryant tactics such as fear and control. If the government somehow managed to persuade the decisions of some key political figures and we crucify them, what then do lobbyists do on a dialy basis? Serve them milk and cookies and hope they pass or amend laws? This article should not be taken seriously, it should be taken off of the web and the files should be stored in a basement never to be viewed again (just like Open Water 2).
Doug Yeah
I think George Kooshian is correct, "This article is a form of propaganda itself ... a mosaic of words and perverted ideas with the goal of discrediting the military."
The goal? Well, to sell articles, but also to underhandedly show the military to be incompetent and in desperate need of corporate assistance and continuous loads of public ca$h. I call BS!
If they were going to use this tactic on congress, uber chickenhawk Joe Lieberman is the last person on which they would need/choose to use it.
"The CIA owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ Former CIA Director William Colby 1973-1976
"The notion that journalism can regularly produce a product that violates the fundamental interests of media owners and advertisers ... is absurd."-- Robert McChesney, journalist and author
PEACE.
Pierre F. Lherisson
This mind games and deceptive practice permeates every institution from factories,offices, entertainment industry to Universities in order to maintain the status quo or the dictatorship of the rich
Andrew Brown
"I’m prohibited from doing that to our own people. When you ask me to try to use these skills on senators and congressman, you’re crossing a line."
Did anyone notice that he didn't actually answer the question "have you used these techniques on senators or congressmen?" He used a psy-ops technique to dodge answering it.
Tony Chopkoski
Gee, and this is the paper that has the ultimate wimp kid running psychological patterns, the balding Matty T cursing up his typical storm (which has an unusually low amount of creativity) for charging up the hoi polloi for a fanciful riot status. RS likes to preserve its environment in veils of mistrust thrown over the heads of its readers. Add to that the curious aspect of the present music world zeitgeist believed as being the Ultimate Bearer of the Truth and you got...horrors found in rest of world! Oh gee whiz, ain't it a shame? They on their RS white horse are just soooo much more "now" than anyone one else....ad nauseam...
Bill Klemm
Men Who Stare at Old Goats....
Steven Richard H
One of my behavioral analysis prof once said, "Psychologists are like Jedi, their tricks only work on the weak-minded".
:)
Anthony Jones
Well, this explains why the congressmen never found the droids they were looking for.
John Ringoes
Any General who does not understand Civilian Control deserves a Douglas MacArthur discharge.
Bethany Fairbrother
Kudos to Rollingstone for once again telling the truth!
John R Stender
Maybe there a symbyolic organiium in some of these high ranking peoples minds, just a thought
null
maybe something has infected the minds of politicians and high ranking ? some symbiotic organism and resonates its own frequency to get its objective done collectively. just a thought ,that crunching sound in your mind when you go to sleep at night,,,
Peter Hans Frohwein
This is really not a good sign. Reference President Eisenhower's speech give on 17 Jan, 1961.
The military industrial complex and the military are out of control.
George Kooshian
I'm PSYOP... And you Rolling Stone... are Retarded. This article is a form of propaganda itself and doesn't even get basic things right such as PSYOP, not PsyOps. Second... "IO" and "PSYOP" are completely separate and perform 2 separate functions. Third... PSYOP is in no way trained in manipulating Americans... Period. This article does nothing more than form a mosaic of words and perverted ideas with the goal of discrediting the military/it's leaders/it's job. It is completely misleading and mostly false.
Beth Deuble
This is all about war-profiteering and the war-making machine. Extending the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars has reaped war-profiteers billions: SAIC, Halliburton, Northrop-Grumman, etc; The real war in Afghanistan is about the projected trillion dollars in mineral reserves there.... just like Iraq was about booty: the second largest oil reserves in the world. Neither effort has gone well, BUT the war-profiteers make their money with, or without a win. To date, $1.09 trillion dollars have been allocated to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Go to Cost of War for more information.
William Liles
Let's put the Generals on the front line with a rifle and see how it feels to sleep with your eyes open.
Bring our boys home, now......
Cathy Consoli-Ramzy
I read something in the Progressive Populist in 2003 or '04 (I think) that the United States Government got a patent on mind control. I guess this kind of confirms it.
Kathleen Scheerschmidt-Merrill
How many think that this is something new???? Do you really think that warring factions haven't resorted to this / or these types of tactics since the beginning of time - on either side?? PLEEEEASE!!!
Charlie Webster
Right out of catch-22
Doreen Sheive
This story is very interesting. As I was reading it, I several times thought about Richard Nixon and his belief that one does whatever is necessary. I believe that George W. Bush was very similiar in this way -- do whatever it takes to achieve what you believe is necessary (to heck with whatever anyone else thinks). On another subject (sort of), a few months ago I was contacted on Skype be someone claiming to be General William Caldwell who was serving in Afghanistan. I was new to Skype ,and I never believed in contact with someone I didn't know. but I checked him out and decided that maybe we could chat. Anyway, I contacted him to say that though I didn't normally chat with people I didn't know, I had checked him out and agreed to talk to him. I also told him that I had not yet hooked up a camera or mic. A few days went by without any contact so I thought he probably had changed his mind, and I removed him from my contact list. I do wonder what these investigators would find if they checked out Gen. Caldwell's many internet sites.
Roland Miraco
You guys need to check out COL Breazile's facebook page. The profile pic explains a TON..
Search Gregory Breazile
Andrew Bush
Lt. Gen. Caldwell asked and directed his Psy-Ops lieutenant colonel to do some really good background work on his VIP visitors and to help him influence their decisions and that is somehow portrayed as “spying” and “unethical” and “conniving” and “a way to help him get more Soldiers assigned to help him prosecute the war” and this is BAD?
Yes that is bad when it is written into our laws as illegal! Its amazing how confused people are when it comes to what is actually against the law after the corruption of the Bush years.
Kenneth Gallaher
One X-general coming up.
Sophie Bindle
Generals should not be in the business of "selling" wars,they should report the facts on the ground and take the Elected civilians out to see whats real and whats not.Those elected officials along with the commander in chief will decide funding and escalation or deescalation depending on their own independent analysis,not from a salesman.Generals selling wars and sending privates off to die so that their career can shine is just sick.
Joseph Salas
*Geesh* I've literally bin psyopsed 24/7 for years now. It seems that the Army is not supposed to
do this to American citizens-but K-CAL radio right here in Riverside CA "is"? But seriously, pretty
much everyone and every thing on the planet has been psyopsing me-even in my sleep ((yes, I can
hear the radio talk shows occasionaly blaring out of the semi's driving around over yonder of my tent) perhaps we've bin editing and filtering this data out of the so called live stream)).
Anyways, and if it's all the same to everyone else, can we psyops me while I'm a peaceful citizen
of the Seychelles Nation instead? Or better yet-No mas psyops!
Michael C. Travali
Really now, do you really think they needed psyops with that buffoon mcshame?
Paul H. Davis
@Angela Head Fry, the Army declared that the term "soldier" would be capitalized back in 2003. But the AP Stylebook didn't agree. It allows that "soldier, sailor and airman" follow the same rules for any common noun. Soldier is to be capitalized in a title, as a title, or at the beginning of the sentence.
Angela Head Fry
This is too funny...should be a movie like "The Men who Stare at Goats." If we had these capabilities I don't think any of us would be looking for employment after we put our lives on the line for a year in Iraq or Afghanistan...we would be using our Psy-Ops training to convince employers to hire us. Another thing, Mr. 'Journalist,' check the AP Style Book because the word Soldier is supposed to be capitalized!
Scott Finkelstein
It's amazing how many people think ""How do we get these guys to give us more people?" he demanded. "What do I have to plant inside their heads?"" is perfectly benign. It seems that there is no shortage of idiots who think the "'mur'cin milatary" can do no wrong
Felix Polanski
Bummer...either the senators and important visitors admit that they may have been influenced by Psy-Ops or claim that Psy-Ops doesn't work ("I was not influenced by Psy-Ops and make my own decisions").
Mary Pishney
Just as so often happens, I think the comments are almost as illuminating as the article! I also find it
truly amusing that two of the strong defenders of such Draconian tactics are either wearing a mask or using Bozo the clown for their logo...truth in advertising!
Russ DiBello
First of all, it seems pretty clear that Mssrs. Cabian, Reniker and Dean have more than a passing interest in letting us know how guilty the protagonists of this piece are (of... something). That level of claimed knowledge of the divisions involved and the situation implies a connection stronger than that of "average reader'; and if they indeed possess that connection to the military, in light of what we've learned about what happens to critics of this division's tactics, does it not stand to reason that they're from the camp of the tacticians, and that we too are now becoming the proud recipients of the best propaganda our tax dollars can buy?
Second, I want to ask a question: do the senators mentioned in this article have any interest in interceding in this officer and his team's railroading? Might we expect some hearings to take place, in a timely fashion? I should think the involvement of Senator Franken alone would be enough to strike fear into the hearts of the military brass who instigated all of this and persecuted the whistleblowers.
Gerry Rempel
What is different about this egregious and despicable military industrial psychologically manipulative abuse is that there is actually an article about it in a fairly widely read publication. This needs to be a part of talking points 24 hours a day for those who are sick of the military propaganda and endless advocacy for eternal war.
Laughingblogger Haha
Psy-Ops is hearts and minds not PSI or Men who stare at goats stuff. Psy-Ops is no big secret either as any Congressman, Congresswoman or Congresschild is aware of it. It is the Meals-On-Wheels, leaflet tossing Win-Them-Over-To-Our-Side propaganda program.
Besides, Politicians are only influenced by votes, lobbyist, Rent-A-Mobs, NOG's, unelected officials, minority pressure groups (MPG), SIG's, 5th Columns, Satan, mammon, repressed trysexual desires, bloggers, twits and money but rarely if ever by hearts and minds. Mainly because politicians do not possess a good heart nor a sound mind.
"I squish your head" Dude! Get a grip!
Stacy Wells
This is a very troubling read. If the accusations are true, the military has exceeded the power granted to it by the Constitution. When the military begins using psychological means to influence one, two or all three branches of government, our democracy is in danger. Troubling also is the amount of money spent on this unit, considering what the task ended up being (allegedly). I don't swallow everything whole and expect that further reporting on this story will clear up any doubt or reveal any fraudulent or misconstrued actions or statements. Sadly, I will not be at all surprised if this story is basically true as told. After Nixon, Watergate and those tapes (Nixon used psychic Jeanne Dixon)... can we really doubt that power can corrupt? And as the saying goes, power corrupts absolutely and absolute power absolutely corrupts.
Ken Rynne
This could never happen. Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.
Mark Cabian
Actually Dean, I'm not confusing LTC Holmes' branch and Functional Area (FA) with his assignment. His branch, Military Intelligence (MI) likely has nothing to do with this story. His FA (FA30, Information Operations Officer) absolutely plays into this. Based on his LinkedIn account, and an inference or two from the article, it appears that he was a Forward Support Team Chief from the 71st Theater Information Operations Group. The FST is NOT a "PSY-OPS" (sic) team. In fact, in order to be a PSYOP/MISO officer, LTC Holmes would have attended the MOS 37A PSYOP Officer Qualification Course hosted by the JFK Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg. I see no evidence that he did. Therefore, he is not a PSYOP/MISO officer nor would he have been assigned as such at that level of headquarters.
Further, there is no prohibition from the influencing of civilians. In fact, the majority of a PSYOPer's target audience is going to be civilians in today's Operational Environment. Perhaps you meant that the Smith-Mundt act prohibits the influencing of American civilians domestically. In fact, admittedly on highly shaky ground here, but Smith-Mundt doesn't exactly apply here as this took place in A'Stan, not CONUS. Actually, I'm being a little funny there... Smith-Mundt clearly applies.
All of that aside, there is an appearance of impropriety in that LTC Holmes and his team refused what appears to be an unlawful order and were victims of some sort of duress as a result. However, this article is so full of technical inaccuracies and outright fabrications as to call into question every assertion within. Not that Rolling Stone even vaguely resembles a peer-reviewed document but, accusations of this magnitude should not be terribly difficult to substantiate.
Richard Carpenter
I used to wonder why Obama walked away from his promise to end the Iraq war....
Greg Reniker
Here's the bottom line to this whole event: Holmes was reprimanded for misconduct; now he's trying to hide behind allegations he was 'forced' to act inappropriately on the job; his allegations are nothing but a smokescreen to divert attention from his misconduct; he's taking a page from the Obama playbook, i.e., I'm getting slayed on this budget issue, so I'll dredge up a marriage defense law that was passed 15 years ago and divert attention away from the budget issue; psyops? info ops? MISO? or just playing politics - You Decide! If Holmes felt what he was told to do was wrong, all he had to do was Refuse to do it. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a soldier in Not Required to follow an illegal order; so either Holmes is telling the truth and he's a gutless excuse for an Army Officer, or he's blowing major smoke to deflect attention from his misconduct. I'm guessing it's the latter.
Chris Jones
Sounds like a lot of BS to me. You never explained exactly what was done to the visiting senators and congressmen. Sounds like detailed background info was gathered on them. So what?
Andrew Bush
Yet another disgrace by our military leaders who brought us torture and lied us into war. This is ILLEGAL!!! Dont make the mistake of calling it "lobbying" It is defined as illegal within our laws.
Treason...... thats all.... Treason. How much money disappeared on pallets in Iraq and Afghanistan? Billions!!
How many officers who ran these torture facilities have been held accountable? None, just the lowest ranking are in prison.
Like I said.... Treason!
Andre Dean
The Rolling Stone headline here makes me want to cry out “Off with the General’s head! How dare the Army have another Rogue/Runaway General! Crucify Him and send a message of Zero Tolerance!”
But then, (long pause for some pensive reflection) this is a professional piece of journalism here, from the highly revered and respected tabloid kingpin of “sensationalism” is it not; THE Rolling Stone? Are they not widely considered to have essentially become the house organ of the Democratic National Committee even by Wikipedia’s definition? OK, so this tabloid is celebrated for its music, pop culture and occasional dalliances in explosive anti-conservative political revelations, and so I should read innuendo into each implication and again eagerly await the guillotine of the Presidential axe to severe the cerebellum from the walking corpse of the McChrystal-like fool of a general who dared to order his Psy-Ops team to prepare routine background briefings on visiting senators and influencers?
Perhaps a second impulse to “step away” from the headline and read even the most scintillating detail of evidence of alleged “terrible wrongdoing” which this esteemed purveyor of scandalous American Military undertakings has unveiled in this latest investigative journalism, would be of some value?
What is the most “damning” evidence that this widely respected news source puts on the table for this explosive article about the Army’s failings here? “Compiling detailed profiles of the VIPs, including their voting records, their likes and dislikes, and their ‘hot-button issues’ for Lt. Gen. Caldwell’s awareness? In one email to Holmes [the general’s Psy-Ops chief], Caldwell’s staff also wanted to know how to shape the general’s presentations to the visiting dignitaries, and how best to "refine our messaging."
Well, hello America. That is what we do and how we are trained to win every war we ever are told to go, fight and win: we do what we call IPB: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield…we “get the G2” on anyone who could possibly hurt, hinder or impede our mission accomplishment and we anticipate possible damage and outcomes and hence are prepared for alternate courses of action…and we do this every single day in everything we do in life. In fact, it is a way of life for those of us who have spent 25 years + in the military: we are trained to anticipate and maneuver, and anyone who does not anticipate adverse actions or plan to maneuver past them, should never serve in our Armed Forces, for their gross neglect will cost thousands of Soldier’s lives, depending on their level of command or leadership when adversity hits them and they must act. Failure to know and plan is unforgivable for an Army leader of any rank or position of competence.
Does this mean we “spy” on our US Senators and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs? Nice choice of provocative words by our favorite tabloid…but is googling a senator’s voting record to know his major issues, concerns and position “spying”?! What kind of idiot would not know what any visiting dignitary’s issues, concerns and voting record is when he or she comes to visit your command HQ when you are fighting a war? This is NOT “spying”. Show me the man who has a powerful, influential visitor come to visit with him who does NOT find out critical background information about his visitor so he can cut quickly to the chase and find solutions that work for them both. This tabloid has portrayed routine background work as sinister and deceitful and unethical…and I submit that The Rolling Stone should bear the lashes for all three of these sins they have feverishly maneuvered to lay across a great American hero (Lt. Gen. Caldwell) so that they can attempt to regain a failing market share of valued customers, as their readership continues to decline over the long term and the feel the desperation of bankruptcy.
According to this tabloid story, the general wanted the IO team to “provide a deeper analysis of pressure points we could use to leverage the delegation for more funds. The general’s chief of staff also asked Holmes how Caldwell could … manipulate the U.S. lawmakers without their knowledge. How do we get these guys to give us more people, he demanded. What do I have to plant inside their heads?"
And so??? Am I missing something damning here, or was THAT IT?
Lt. Gen. Caldwell asked and directed his Psy-Ops lieutenant colonel to do some really good background work on his VIP visitors and to help him influence their decisions and that is somehow portrayed as “spying” and “unethical” and “conniving” and “a way to help him get more Soldiers assigned to help him prosecute the war” and this is BAD?
And now this lieutenant colonel has lashed back through public outcry, and sought political cover by running to this highly respected tabloid magazine of sensationalism and hoping he can get General Caldwell fired the same way that The Rolling Stone portrayed General McChrystal to get his head lopped off so they could quadruple their respected readership for 5 days?
Let me grab a National Enquirer and see what is going to happen to the general; after all, they should know and anything I read in the Enquirer will be FACT, you can betcha sweet bibby on that. Personally, I am not buying it, just reading the headlines as I walk through the checkout, so I can head home and read the Wallstreet Journal and see if Lt. Gen. Caldwell is in the news yet.
J.b. Chimene
So that's why McCain picked Palin. Knew it had something to do with psych warfare.
Kenneth E Green
I think that your wearing a mask kind of fits. I'm a proud civilian but also a veteran.
Mark Cabian
Oh... and a, you know, minor flaw in this article is that Holmes is not a PSYOP/MISO officer. He is an Military Intelligence officer and a Information Operations guy. In other words, his main job in the Army was Military Intelligence and his Functional Area (think specialty) is Information Operations. As an IO guy, his job would have been to synchronize and integrate all IO functions (of which Public Affairs is one) and would be aware of PSYOP/MISO capabilities but, by no means, a "PSYOP guy".
Rudy Haugeneder
It's probably okay with President Obama. Even during his election campaign, he promised more troops and victory in Afghanistan.
But, blinded by optimism that a new man was ready to change America, voters did not hear what he was saying, especially for a leader who wants victory at any cost, even though, as the story says, "Federal law forbids the military from practicing psy-ops on Americans, and each defense authorization bill comes with a "propaganda rider" that also prohibits such manipulation.
"Everyone in the psy-ops, intel, and IO community knows you’re not supposed to target Americans," says a veteran member of another psy-ops team who has run operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "It’s what you learn on day one."
Dan Owen
Where is Saturday Night Live when you need it? Al Franken can play himself. The rest I leave up to the crew at SNL.
Kenneth E Green
I think it kind of fitting that you are wearing a mask. Says a lot. As far as rank goes proud civilian citizen and also a vet.
Mark Fruehling
And my recruiter comment is aimed towards the stuff that happened before the service basically cleaned that whole MOS out and then restocked it. I've met some outstanding recruiters and I don't want it to seem like I'm bashing them. Just pointing to the past.
Mark Fruehling
If this is true, I'm surprised that they waited until 2011 to finally blow the whistle. I'm sure that, again, if this is true it's been going on for a long time. Maybe they need to look further back. Oh, and all you guys who think the military is all upstanding citizens and freedom fighters, look at what happened with the recruiters. They manipulated their positions and information to get people into the military in jobs they don't want, basically just suckering people. You really think that a General, a guy with almost limitless power in his very own command, isn't going to be doing stuff like this to further their career or other things like that? Do you think he wouldn't use his rank to intimidate his subordinates into not saying anything? Jeez, some of you need to get a mind of your own. I served proudly in combat 3 times and I know their were things going on out of sight. Maybe ignorance is bliss, but just blindly following and doing what you're told isn't my definition of patriotism. I hope that if this is true General Caldwell gets exactly what he deserves and so do all of his sheep. But knowing how the military handles these things, he'll be some kind of hero who retires early and gets his benefits, just like all of the higher ups. Oh, and when they do try to tell everyone how great he was and all that, does that count as MISO? I'll never bad mouth my time in the service, but I will bad mouth the morons who have made the "ARMY VALUES" and whatever else the other branches have a joke. I'm pretty sure integrity comes into play somewhere, and if Generals and other higher ups aren't doing it, why should we be surprised when we see lower enlisted people doing stupid things and not owning up to them. It's just easier to be a lemming then a leader these days.
Randall Keith
I guess they don't broadcast our corporate media there, they do a fine job of corporate psy ops in the states. You know they used the same techniques on visiting media, that's why there's so many military fetishists like Lara Logan and Joe Klein.
Nathan Bailey
This article is almost laughable. I'm not sure if it's the general or the author who has seen Inception too many times, but they need to put their top away.
I can understand the misallocation argument, but not much beyond that.
I noticed the author never mentioned what heinous or illegal super-secret psy-opsy powers they were weilding other than doing research into what DV's were visiting. I'm sorry, is that a well-guarded psy-ops secret? I think not, and it's certainly not illegal.
Judi Borgo
The U.S. military has been out of control for decades. In recent years media and politicians alike have been "Petraeused" with the very smart general's relentless manipulation of his own image as an honorable warrior solider always on mission. American taxpayers and the military people who admire him should take another look. He has managed to manipulate even his Commander in Chief, with help from his friends Gates and Mullens and from "entrapped" senators such as McCain, Lieberman and Chambliss.
John Guthrie
Great story. Certainly no surprise, though. I mean, really, every one of those TV recruitment ads is a self-contained psy-op.
Personally, I find it hilarious that these guys felt the need to employ these tactics against McCain and Lieberman.
Keep burying generals, Hastings!
Mark Cabian
This article is one-sided, technically inaccurate and clearly a hatchet job. Russell Burgos hit the nail on the head. A PSYOPer (or MISOer...) would never refer to a psychological operation as "psy-ops". In fact, the best way to send a speaker-monkey into a red-faced rage is to refer to their glorified handbills as "PSYOPS". A cursory examination of AKO shows that there is a Mike Holmes in the 71st TIOG so that at least checks out. But, the statement that General Caldwell tried to rewrite IO doctrine is hilarious and wrong at the same time. The IO doctrinal manual, FM 3-13, was being rewritten while Caldwell was the CG of CAC but that effort was initiated prior to his arrival and, with pretty good seats to the action, I can honestly say that his involvement with the rewrite was primarily as a stakeholder but certainly not a contributor.
Best thing to do with this article is print it out and make a paper airplane out of it. Maybe even wipe your butt with it.
Yannis Zervos
None of this is really new or even surprising. The Manchurian Candidate, and Madison Avenue machinations are as ubiquitous as ever. Perhaps we just need to be reminded.
Stephanie Engle
IF US senators were manipulated by the military through a "dis-information campaign;" which is considered illegal: how then, was the SAME TACTIC, which was utilized by the Bush White House, in its' dis-information campaign via the OSP nexus to members of Congress to illegally invade Iraq considered acceptable?
Why the outcry now by journalists, but not in 2003? Why is the psy-ops manipulation factor illegal by our military (toward members of Congress), but lobbying, political spin, and other dubious approaches (versus factual evidence) considered the norm, or acceptable? Is this our opportunity to truly try to change Washington?
A number of high profile media folks/journalists were harangued by Congressioanl Committee members in 2007 when they admitted they did not print the truth (preventing the deaths of US servicemen/women because they would lose their WH access - it was only when it was clear that Bush had lost favor and Republicans were steering clear of him in the fall of 2008, that these same journalists released their books on the the Iraq war run-up and the hubris that was the Bush WH and cabinet). Isn't this a form of "pimping America?" In a very raw sense, did these indivudals sell out America to perpetuate their career, resulting in additional benefits: book sales, notoriety, etc?
The highest office in the country, the "COMMANDER in CHIEF" (military) duped Congress and American citizens in a massive marketing effort; resulting in the shameless sacrifice of US servicemen and women and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; and damaging the reputation of our national globally.
Somehow, all of those involved in the Office of Special Plans should be investigated and prosecuted.
NEWT GINGRICH delivered the Declaration of War as the keynote note speaker during the 3-05-2003 Capstone event, sending the entire ballroom of military officers into chaos. HOW did Newt Gingrich, a civilian, issue war on behalf of a President and his cabinet???
Carolina David
Soldiers have been using PSY OPS in & around Fayetteville, NC for decades. It's part of their training & initiations to be an SF soldier. Influencing Senators? Pffffffft....
Senators are already influenced by the party they are affiliated with.
Chris Russell
I've worked with IO and PSYOPS folks before and just returned from working in General Caldwell's AO. For the PSYOPS guys to come out on this is soooo hypocritical. They claim that IO/PSYOPS are only to be used on enemy forces? B.S., we used it against the civilian populace of Iraq and Afghanistan THOUSANDS of times. They are just a bunch of lazy punks that didn't want to do their job. Was it wrong? Heck yeah it was wrong but their motives in this were more self-serving than altruistic, you can believe that. Oh, General Caldwell should be immediately retired.
Mary Pishney
Nothing shows the truth of the article's facts better than the "Tight lipped, no response" from the military. I feel we have reached an abysmal point in our history when the military would try
such Orwellian tactics and harass military personal who refuse to carry out such illegal orders.
"Men Who Stare at Goats" was based on facts, crazy as it seemed to the average American. It is truly
no laughing matter. Jim Marr's book, "Psy Ops" details how extensive this situation truly is.
Mike Allen
I have come to the conclusion that no one in this country, or at least the majority of Americans, really gives a hoot about how many have died or how many are yet to die in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nor do they care if we leave there tomorrow, next year, 10 years from now, or never.
If they did, there would be demonstrations all across this land, in each of the 50 states, red or blue, it doesn't matter.
Apparently Americans have no qualms with flag draped coffins arriving at Dover AFB filled with dead Americans, until it is one of their own.
So sad, all of these brave young men and women, countless tens of thousands, dead or maimed because Georege W. Bush had a hair across his rear for the man, Saddam Hussein, that, allegedly, tried to kill his daddy, GHWB.
And, this is not even mentioning the unknown number of dead Iraqis, which is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.
That is a lot of blood on the hands of George W. Bush, and Americans are allowing him to escape without punishment, and allowing even more to die.
Where are the John Kerrys and Jane Fondas that stood up to halt the unnecessary killing of American soldiers 40 years ago in Viet Nam? WHERE ARE THEY?
WHY DON'T THEY COME FORWARD AND STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT?
ALL AMERICANS MUST BE REMOVED FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN NOW, TODAY, NOT TOMORROW, NOT NEXT WEEK, NOT NEXT MONTH, NOT NEXT YEAR..... BUT NOW.......IMMEDIATELY
Chris Harding
To Whom it May Concern:
This comment is two-part. First I would like to discuss the subject of "public employees" versus corporate "productivity", and, afterwards, the recent news of psychological warfare, which can be emotional abuse, which is considered worse than physical abuse (1)
As a chemical engineer who witnessed illegal activity that endangered 10(s) of thousands and blew the whistle (12, 14), a chemical engineer who worked for the FDA, and a person who is an ex-soldier, I disagree with the "common" agreement that "public employees" are less productive than corporate. Obviously, computers and process control has significantly increased productivity while reducing number of workers. Still, computers and equipment must be monitored by human beings. Like reporting, the human emotional process must be used. If properly done, safety should be increased since process control allows reproducibility and efficiency. Sadly, corporate employees and some government employees will take major risks to make a "profit". Although the corporate employee is "private", they both will usually make the "unnecessary" risks because of corruption in most cases. For some, the "unnecessary risks" are caused by "false productivity" since the employee is in a position where "n" employees are not enough. In truth, many public employees, which is an area where others "expect communication, are in such position. If you need example, I suggest a look at "Abbott Laboratories" recent "heart stent" case which, as a corporation, affected the decision of a "star physician" (22), Peanut Butter Corporation, Enron, Financial Industry, etc. Each case is "false productivity" but our population tends to forget. Also, the DOJ has listed the pharmaceutical industry as an industry that has engaged in more fraudulent activity than any other group. As an example, I suggest one research medicaid and medicare fraud. When the latter happens and programs collapse, the Government is usually held highly responsible by news organizations but the same news corporations will "do a friend a favor" when considering corporate America-"Socks may be affected! Don't want to hurt the "average person" do ya?"
As for psychological warfare, I, as a whistleblower from Abbott Laboratories can assure you that corporations engage in the same "war" against the public and whistleblowers (9, 11, 12, 14). In truth, they use the methods as a means to cause suicide. In my case, sociopathic "friends of Abbott" have attempted to run me over, illegally entered my residences, placed chemicals in my food, engaged in "electronic harassment", which is actually emotional and, at times, physical, torture, and I spent one night in ICU, two weeks in the hospital, and six months on therapy. Last year, Abbott Laboratories admitted to "harassment" and I left the company in 2001 (12). Recently, Abbott Laboratories was subpoenaed because an Executive sent an email asking to have a Baltimore-Supporter beaten (22). Also, PBS has detailed documents regarding the chemical industries "Trade Secrets" and "board room's war" against public education regarding dangers. In fact, corporate physicians knew of dissolved bones in hands and illness but kept all from Government and academic professional. Furthermore, Dr. Rosner and others have researched and reported on corporate "murder" of employees via negligence (15, 16).
I can be contacted for references.
Bob Higgins
In the end the military serves the same corporate interests as the congress critters they are trying to manipulate. Defense contractors, (read war profiteers), want to sell more drones, more bullets, more trucks and Hummers, more MREs, shoelaces, flak jackets more of everything required in the inventory of destruction.
Generals, after all, like congress critters, if they kiss the right butts and grease the right palms, eventually graduate to lucrative careers in the defense (read war profiteering) industry.
Start slashing defense budgets and ending our eternal wars and put a regiment of these careerist generals out to pasture.
Kal Palnicki
All generals are far more interested in their careers than they ever were in getting a job done for this nation. They hold that it is in the best interests of the nation if they are promoted and put in charge which is why they devote their energies in that direction.
Frank Randle
Has the army started to use LSD25 again? From the photo accompanying the article it looks like McCain's psy-op session has left him unable to navigate the corridor without military help.
Joe Roberts
Personally, if live was like a DVD with alternate it would be interesting to see the military just "stop". There would be no wars because there's not enough people in this country would stand along side neighbor to neighbor. The cartels would own 100 miles in of all border states. The average american is deathly afraid to hold much less own a fire arm (but will drive a care while texting, drinking, doing make up which in never dangerous. Chant "Bring t hem home" but spend more money on products made in China. The funniest part would be watching Mayor of Berkley, PFC Manning tip-toe through the tulips in his Technicolor dream coat has he announces "China" has docked in S.F. FOREVER. We just need a footstomp to our head collectively. "V.ery A.verage G.uys I.n N.orth A.merica". who C.ant U.nderstand N.ormal T.hinking Bet some think that is a secret form or messeging known as "Psy-Ops" :-)
Stephen Feldman
What's new. They did it during the Civil War, two world wars and Vietnam. People can't be allowed to think for themselves. I like the miltary, but it's not a place where thinking for yourself is a priority for anyone.
John Fleming
maybe its the psy-ops that are now in your head ... they want you to report this and they have leaked enough info that you did and now you're their pawn... this is my oid job... they don't do this for fun... they do it for a very specific reason.. enjoy the trip...
Kimberly L Greer
What we, "The American People," need is a reality check. The only people who are truly free in this democracy are the ones who hold the power. Generals hold a lot of power. So do corporations, and organized religions. But...so do journalists, and so do the people who pay attention, and use their own minds, and act and spend and vote intelligently and according to their principles.
Jim Davis
This is just the nature of things. No surprises here. However...its nice to shine a light on these methods from time to time. Whenever we do leave...its going to go right back to what it was. Its way pass time to pull the plug on our mid-east wars. Bring 'em home.
Joe Osinski
i'm pretty sure the visiting brass knows that the military would like more funding. doesn't seem all that sneaky to me.
Damien Krypt
And when liberal groups like ACORN (or whatever their brand is now) sic their highly trained marketing and lobbying specialists on political VIP's, they're what, heroes of the revolution?
Jack Werner
I sincerely hope that this incredible piece of journalism is taken seriously and those involved investigated and dealt with appropriately and the policies they affected re-examined. But somehow I doubt it.
Terrence Lee Zehrer
The general will prosecuted vigorously…forced to retire with full benefits. The they’ll find a pfc someplace and lock him up in solitary at Quantico with daily waterboarding treatments.
Donald Smith
I really like Information Operation Cell better than Information Engagement Cell, but I don't make the decisions. Now, changing Psy Ops to MISO is something I can live with, but just don't mess with CODELS which stands for Congressional Delegations...That's is a keeper.
This is straight out of Catch 22.
Matthew Kiefer
What you see in that photo is the re wiring of the minds of the senators. There being walked out of the brain washing room one at a time. Just look
Russell Burgos
Something smells here. No one in PSYOP would refer to it as "psy-ops." No one in PSYOP would refer to products as "propaganda." No one in PSYOP would refer to IO as "play with people's heads." This "Lt. Col. Holmes" doesn't sound like a PSYOP officer to me -- and I was one. Do generals try to influence CODELs? Absolutely. And CODELs know this, since they're trying to influence politics at home ("I just came back from Afghanistan, and..."). Would Caldwell have tried something like this? It's certainly possible. But the source is problematic, at least in my reading -- which makes the piece itself problematic.
Amber Verona
Undoubtably we will soon be seeing prosecutions of those responsible for this criminal activity, just as we have with respect to the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield lies and crimes against humanity, corruption by and murder by blackwater, Haliburton and the other war profiteers, and all of the other egregious violations of the constitution and federal law.
Marc Chartier
"It’s not illegal if I say it isn’t!"
Wow! How Nixon-esque, COL Breazile! The Ministry if Truth that you are a part of must be so proud of you!
Luis Soto
you are living in the neofa$cist age, which followed the 29 bis crisis we have described in our books for one decade.
It is called Keynesian militarism: to get out of an economical crisis with weapons bought by governments. This is what Jitler did: tanks instead of cars. Now we do terminators instead of pcs, after the crisis. In the previous fa$cist age, Germans used us, spaniards as guinea pigs to prove new weapons. now the financial->military->industrial complex uses afghans to prove the new weapons of our military keynesianism, terminators predators. But Lybia is another matter, those are real people, with real democratic aspirations as we were in the 30s, trying to create a real democracy which will be costly for us. Now of course, because history rhymes the players changed, and Germany's role is played by America, but you are only at the beginning of the process. Give it 8 years more to get to 1939 with the Tea party in power. ain't seen anything yet...
(and of course all this is censored, for example, this post cannot be put with the proper words,you must change letters, since the proper words are 'inappropiate', and this mind the reader is not wsj but rolling stones, which used to defend the 60s r=evolution) good luck if you think the cycles of history can be censored.
economicstruthcom
Johnny Potseed
"the use of the IO team against U.S. senators was a misue of vital resources"
typos pisss me off.
Steel River Savior
Is it sad that nothing about this story even remotely surprises me?
Aaron Shuman
So a trained liar painted a picture you wanted to see, offered no thirds party verifiable facts, and... ? Profit? This guy is a trained PsyOps warrior with an obvious axe to grind, and he comes to you with... "Verbal orders"? Yelling matches only he recalls with precision, with no recordings or proof? Seriously, is this even journalism?
Ken Miller
Just another form of Lobbying. Didn't work cause there was no cash exchanging hands. Federales strike again against themselves