WHY is the US Dept of State Interacting w/ISIS Fighters on Twitter?

From The BBC

The US government even got into the action, as the state department's Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) employed a Twitter handle it uses to engage US critics in the Middle East, @ThinkAgain_DOS. When @Hzam_nesf tweeted: "We say to the US Government and swear to God that we will enter the White House and come to your cities", CSCC replied: "Like you haven't threatened us many times before! Btw, Osama officially retired from terrorism!"

If this reporting is factual, it's worth discussing. My first thought was indignant incredulousness- How could they justify something so STUPID! Getting involved with taunts & jeers in the playground-like atmosphere of Twitter! But then I thought, Hey, if this story is true, and the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communication is really tweeting in response to ISIS fighters tweets, then that means there's a level-gap that's being bridged. As in, random ISIS fighters who engage on social media sites as encouraged by their "higher-ups" (see article) are getting a response (somewhat) directly from comparatively high level of US govt. That is not something I could have predicted.

Finally, I most wanted to point out that IF this story is true, the person who wrote that Tweet seems like an idiot. Why respond w/incendiary & mockery? It's like a lead-up to a playground dare.
Does someone see something I'm not seeing, with this story?

Someone has submitted a FOIA request for all the direct messages sent to & from the Twiter account.
FOIA request

To Whom It May Concern: This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records: A copy of any DMs (direct messages) received by the twitter account @ThinkAgain_DOS. The @ThinkAgain_DOS twitter account was explicitly created to combat violent Islamic extremism.

3 weeks & 3 days left for the timeframe to comply.
Comments, please.

This explains it:

There could be hidden meanings or messages in the tweets. Hide your coded messages in plain sight and no one would be the wiser...

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
There could be hidden meanings or messages in the tweets. Hide your coded messages in plain sight and no one would be the wiser...

Just because of your avatar... "Duh, that's like... spycraft 101, Lana."

Love Archer.

Back on topic, it's quite arrogant to be doing this if it's just PR. Even worse... Someone is getting paid by our tax dollars to get into a Twitter fight.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
There could be hidden meanings or messages in the tweets. Hide your coded messages in plain sight and no one would be the wiser...

Well it's either that or it's the prelude to a FF. I mean tweating is the new way to propagandize and all the idiots get it. When it happens someone will say they say it on Twitter. No one reads newspapers any more.

a reply to: kkrattiger

That's so stupid but so funny. If only we could limit our conflicts to harmless online flaming.
Probably not true, you don't need to be a PR expert to see how DUMB that would be to do. You aren't crazy, Krattiger.

a reply to: kkrattiger

While I believe that the twitter post was either a really clumsy counter to an equally ham fisted and empty threat, or a carefully modulated response, either with a very elegant cryptological base, or a formula response to an element of the initiating communication.

originally posted by: Bilk22

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
There could be hidden meanings or messages in the tweets. Hide your coded messages in plain sight and no one would be the wiser...

Well it's either that or it's the prelude to a FF. I mean tweating is the new way to propagandize and all the idiots get it. When it happens someone will say they say it on Twitter. No one reads newspapers any more.

And even then, many news outlets have taken up the habit of using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc as sources.

Paid to get into Twitter fight - your words expressing my feelings. Hit that on the head. In addition, war is not a joke, nor should people be flippant about it, much less a GOVERNMENT AGENCY like the US DEPT OF STATE ! a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic

BILK, what's a "FF"
?

or a carefully modulated response, either with a very elegant cryptological base, or a formula response to an element of the initiating communication.

a reply to: TrueBrit

That's kind of what I was thinking, after my kneejerk 1st thought of "My god, they're gonna get us ALL in trouble" (playground politics).

Absolutely, Mushroom is on the money here. This could be a way they communicate and give orders to these donkeys of ISIS.

This is the most obvious black op I’ve ever seen. From the Bay of Pigs, the JFK hit, to operation north woods, to 911 this is the most naked obvious scam of the US in a long time.

Which is why all the "IF this story is true" 's in my post. But you made me feel guilty, because although I am not a journalist, it would be responsible for me to have checked more than 2 sites & glanced over a seArch results page to "verify" that this was indeed a "real" "story". Not sayin it's not, though. It is.
It's not.
It totally is, why are you even surprised?
It's not. Anyone can make an online profile.
IT'S REAL. Don't be a dope.

That self-dialog is how I internalized the article.
a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic
Strange times, man.

I really don't get it either. S & F. It seems kind of childish for our gov't to be responding in this way, "taking it to the tweets". Seems there should be a little more dignity at the top. I'm confused as well.

originally posted by: kkrattiger
Which is why all the "IF this story is true" 's in my post. But you made me feel guilty, because although I am not a journalist, it would be responsible for me to have checked more than 2 sites & glanced over a seArch results page to "verify" that this was indeed a "real" "story".
a reply to: CloudsTasteMetallic
Strange times, man.

Real or manufactured, fact is, it has become a story. Thanks for bringing it to light.

And sheesh, I thought propaganda was *bleeped* up before the Internet.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: kkrattiger

While I believe that the twitter post was either a really clumsy counter to an equally ham fisted and empty threat, or a carefully modulated response, either with a very elegant cryptological base, or a formula response to an element of the initiating communication.

Smart people do not respond to threats, idle or otherwise, when they know they have the power to eliminate the threat from the face of the planet. You know the famous cliche of carrying a big stick? They also don't announce "Al Queda is dead" to boast, when they damn well know that cannot be the truth.

So we're either left to believe that this nation is being run by rank amateurs or people with a very nefarious agenda and are using propaganda in the news (Is Twitter news?) so the rank and file morons can tell everyone they saw the terrorists threaten the US on Twitter.

originally posted by: AreUKiddingMe
"taking it to the tweets"

I'm gonna be borrowing that brilliant turn of phrase.

So we're either left to believe that this nation is being run by rank amateurs or people with a very nefarious agenda and are using propaganda in the news (Is Twitter news?) so the rank and file morons can tell everyone they saw the terrorists threaten the US on Twitter.

a reply to: Bilk22

Great pointing out that angle.
This is why I posted the thread.
All types of different eyes On = Won't slip it by EVERYONE

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: kkrattiger

While I believe that the twitter post was either a really clumsy counter to an equally ham fisted and empty threat, or a carefully modulated response, either with a very elegant cryptological base, or a formula response to an element of the initiating communication.

If I may submit for the sake of Occam the former?
And the latter pair for the more adventurous Illuminati telegrapher.
You must admit it's a lousy first pair of choices they gave us for
the record--- but what seems to be giving the kiddies the
candy store while the globalists are robbing the bank again.
Maybe the Twitterites are getting massed into the conspiracy
community so the APA Document Committe can call a lot more
of us gone fishin' in the next DSM.
PS My old math class dictated 0xStupid=0. Ergo
I think we may luck out for immediate damaging fireworks.

originally posted by: kkrattiger

So we're either left to believe that this nation is being run by rank amateurs or people with a very nefarious agenda and are using propaganda in the news (Is Twitter news?) so the rank and file morons can tell everyone they saw the terrorists threaten the US on Twitter.

a reply to: Bilk22

Great pointing out that angle.
This is why I posted the thread.
All types of different eyes On = Won't slip it by EVERYONE

Yeah unfortunately I think we all need to be vigilant and stay away from large public spaces. We're ripe for a FF and it can then be blamed on the idea that they slipped in thru the southern border - another news item no one can possibly miss. I have a bad feeling.

a reply to: kkrattiger

They don't negotiate with terrorists but they do troll them.

Oh wait, they do negotiate with terrorists but they still troll them.