NEWS: Pentagon To Place Pro USA Propaganda In Foreign Media

Without revealing the USA as the source, the Pentagon plans to place Pro-American messages on items such as T-Shirts and bumper stickers, along with pro American messages in foreign media. The USA$300 million campaign is to be launched and run by psychological experts at the USA Special Operations Command. The media campaign is designed to sway foreign audiences to support the USA's policies, according to USA today who released the story. The USA command will not be revealing themselves as the source or their role in distributing the Pro American propaganda.



Propaganda is as old as war itself. I don't know how much this propaganda campaign will help the Americans or sway opinion towards them but it will certainly make many foreign audiences angry about the subliminal and psychological control and manipulation. Mind games. Such fun.

well so much for the pentagon keeping the source as a secret

Originally posted by Mayet
The USA command will not be revealing themselves as the source or their role in distributing the Pro American propaganda.

That's what the news media are for.


It will be money well spent. Propaganda is only a dirty word when it's employed by the enemy. Who would pass up a free t-shirt or bumper sticker, regardless of the message?

[edit on 2005/12/14 by GradyPhilpott]

hm.

Maybe it is a language thing, but I have a question:

Isn't propaganda a negative term? As far as I understand, propaganda is a manipulation of information to influence public opinion.

According to the source you provided, "the US military wants to fight the information war against Al Qaeda through newspapers, websites, radio, television as well as T-shirts and bumper stickers"

What would you say is 'manipulation of information' here?



[edit on 14-12-2005 by Riwka]

Here's the definition of propaganda, courtesy of Merriam-Webster:

Propaganda

funny though, i wonder if they apply tactics such here as well. people with bumper sticks and shirts that work for the government so that we will have subliminal messages like foriegn ones they imply.

plus its funny that they can win the opinion by the truth.

Half of the world doesn't believe us and think we have ulterior motives or are lying as is, now that this is announced, more people will distrust us.

They won't believe anything coming from us soon and think it is all propaganda.

This is exactly how society begins it's downfall, the acceptance and pushing of lies to further a cause. I think this action will just increase the speed of our fall now.

What a waste of money. Think of what this money could do for the victims of Katrina or at least 100 other higher priority items.

brill

[edit on 14-12-2005 by brill]

absolutely correct worldwatcher. the trust in the government is only DEcreasing at a faster rate from such actions. instead of letting them have their opinions we will show ours down their throats with subliminal messages and low tactics.

[edit on 14-12-2005 by grimreaper797]

Originally posted by brill
What a waste of money.
[edit on 14-12-2005 by brill]

I couldn't agree more, I don't think a t-shirt is gonna sway people's opnions of an entire country.
I have worn a tshirt with the American flag on it here and had so many people comment negatively on it or just scowl at me more often than not.
I mean I don't care, I wear what I want to but this seems to be a desperate ploy to try gain some popularity points ... unfortunately I don't see it working.

Originally posted by grimreaper797
absolutely correct worldwatcher. the trust in the government is only increasing at a faster rate from such actions. instead of letting them have their opinions we will show ours down their throats with subliminal messages and low tactics.

yup and nobody likes this treatment and, safe to say, especially from America.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
This is exactly how society begins it's downfall, the acceptance and pushing of lies to further a cause. I think this action will just increase the speed of our fall now.

Propaganda doesn't automatically mean lies. Of course propaganda tries to put you in the best possible light, it doesn't necessarily include lies...just omission of contrary facts. Some propaganda, like that made by the North Korean stalinist regime is almost pure lies, but I doubt this will be anything like that.

edit:

U.S. propaganda even has websites, and they're actually quite reliable news sources ():

Voice of America
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty


For decades during the Cold War, Radio Free Europe (U.S. "propaganda") was the best news source for many trapped behind the Iron Curtain.

[edit on 12/14/2005 by djohnsto77]

agreed, propaganda isn't always lies, but there is deception behind the propaganda which still equates to lying, whether it's the story or how the story got out and who's spin is on it, it's still deceptive and wrong.

With the support the US has recieved in recent years (or lack-there-of), this is not a bad idea. As long as it stays truthful and isnt forced down anyones throat then there is no reason to really even call this propaganda. None of us know what the stickers or t-shirts will say, so as far as I'm concerned its more of a "Support" America(n) Interest(s) campaign. When they start telling people America is the home of Babylon then, thats when you worry.

Does the Pentagon actually expect little Ahmed the magic carpet salesman to slap a "USA #1" bumper sticker on the back of his camel? Give me a break. There has to be a lot more to this story than just bumper stickers and t-shirts. Sure the bureaucrats that control our money love to spend it frivilously, but I can't see the military spending money on something as lame as hit article implies it is. They're not about to come out and tell us exactly what it is that they're spending this money on or if anyone will even be able to notice, but I'm hoping for our sake and for the sake of peace that it is at least somewhat effective.

I think propaganda is a very effective tool of war and has been throughout history. For example, without the extensive propaganda and disinformation campaign by the Allied forces in WWII, the invasion at Normandy could have been repelled by the Nazis. As much as we hate to see the "p-word" it is a necessary part of winning wars. Shooting someone in the head or blowing up a squadron of men isn't a good thing generally, but its something you need to do to win wars. With the way that the Arab population has been brainwashed by their governments and their media over the years into blaming all their troubles on Israel and America, and with al-Jazeera beaming lies into people's homes 24/7, propaganda is a necessity for victory on this "war on terror."

Originally posted by worldwatcher
Half of the world doesn't believe us and think we have ulterior motives or are lying as is, now that this is announced, more people will distrust us.

They won't believe anything coming from us soon and think it is all propaganda.

This is exactly how society begins it's downfall, the acceptance and pushing of lies to further a cause. I think this action will just increase the speed of our fall now.

The only way to counter this is for media to have real investigative reporters out in the field and not accpt what is spoon-fed to them.

Not in-bedded and not the anchor "on location" as those seem to be about as staged managed as a presidential press conference these days, but real honest to goodness investigative journalists. Whatever happened to them?
.

If people are really all that concerned with this they shouldnt be , we have been doing it since the beginning of the Iraq war and before.....We dropped pamphlets and leaflets before and during the war that were (are) considered propoganda.

This will have the same effect as the, "Land Rights for Gay Whales!" bumper sticker campaign a few years back. The result being homosexual whales are still disenfranchised.

But I for one welcome this move. I'll wear my t-shirt with the slogan, "It's only torture when they do it!" with pride.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, and if it's alright by the original poster, perhaps we could list a few suggestions for Team Pentagon.

[edit on 14/12/2005 by Zugzwang]

Finally.................They should have been doing this for years. It does not require killing and expensive weapons. I can't see how anyone could be against this.

Originally posted by jetsetter
I can't see how anyone could be against this.

Because I want my CBC and European news without the 'Pentagon Spin' to convice me to love the USA no matter what, thank you very much.
.

[edit on 12/14/2005 by Gools]