The Office of Strategic Influence Is Gone, But Are Its Programs...

[Hubert Flottz]

still in place?

Who did Judith Miller among others, mislead the country?

The Office of Strategic Influence Is Gone, But Are Its Programs In Place?

11/27/02

The Federation of American Scientists has pointed to a startling revelation by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that mainstream media have missed: In remarks during a recent press briefing, Rumsfeld suggested that though the controversial Office of Strategic Influence (OSI) no longer exists in name, its programs are still being carried out (FAS Secrecy News, 11/27/02, http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/secrecy/2002/11/112702.html).

The OSI came under scrutiny last February, when the New York Times reported (2/19/02) that the new Pentagon group was “developing plans to provide news items, possibly even false ones, to foreign media organizations.” The news was met with outrage, and within a week the Pentagon had closed down the OSI, saying that negative attention had damaged the office’s reputation so much “that it could not operate effectively" (AP, 2/26/02).

The plan was troubling for many reasons: It was profoundly undemocratic; it would have put journalists’ lives at risk by involving them in Pentagon disinformation; and it’s almost certain that any large-scale disinformation campaign directed at the foreign press would have led, sooner or later, to a falsified story being picked up by U.S. media. (See Extra! Update 4/02, "Behind the Pentagon's Propaganda Plan.")

At the time, Rumsfeld claimed that he had “never even seen the charter for the office,” but Thomas Timmes, the OSI’s assistant for operations, said that Rumsfeld had been briefed on its goals “at least twice” and had “given his general support” (New York Times, 2/25/02). MORE...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1859

New Pentagon office to spearhead information war

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/02/19/gen.strategic.influence/

Office of Strategic Influence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Strategic_Influence

MOTIVE?

[Marie26]

1. Exactly how many secret agencies did these guys start??

I'm having trouble keeping it all straight.

[Hubert Flottz]

2. That's what people like that count on.

Who were these people and EXACTLY, what in the hell do they do?

I see that the New York Times is tied in to this. Was Ms. Miller?

[Hubert Flottz]

3. Posted on another thread but it is what I was talking about in the op

The Office of Strategic Influence

The Office of Strategic Influence, or OSI, was a department set up in the United States Department of Defense in late 2001 or early 2002, to support the War on Terrorism through psychological operations in targeted countries. The closure of the office was announced by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld soon after its existence became publicly known.

The OSI would have been a center for the creation of propaganda materials, for the stated purpose of misleading enemy forces or their civilian populations. After information on the office spread through US and foreign media in mid February 2002, intense discussions on purpose and scope of the office were reported. The discussions culminated in a public statement by Rumsfeld in late February that the office has been closed down.

Some argue that due to its nature and stated purpose, the (non-)existence of such an agency would be hard to determine. In fact, in November 2002, Rumsfeld stated in an interview that only the name of the office was abolished, that it further exists and that it fulfills its original purpose. MORE...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Strategic_Influe...

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Looking at this Wikipedia information piece by piece.

"The Office of Strategic Influence, or OSI, was a department set up in the United States Department of Defense in late 2001 or early 2002," ...

We know now, or very strongly suspect now, that the PNAC/Rumbo, wanted to invade Iraq as far back as 1998.

"to support the War on Terrorism through psychological operations in targeted countries."...

Was the United states one of the countries they wanted to target for these operations?

"The OSI would have been a center for the creation of propaganda materials, for the stated purpose of misleading enemy forces or their civilian populations."...

Was the anti-war movement in the US a threat to the PNAC plan, so therefore looked upon as an enemy by the PNAC? Are we not the civilian population, who are speaking out against the war, and have we not spoken out against it since the day the idea to invade Iraq became public information?

"After information on the office spread through US and foreign media in mid February 2002, intense discussions on purpose and scope of the office were reported."

The public and congress wanted to know about this operation since they were funding it through the DoD budget. That DoD came up missing 8 billion dollars about the time this thing was known to be operating. Could part of the missing money still be funding operations such as, The Office of Strategic Influence and other secret operations like the private soldiers and Intel people on the ground in Iraq? The reason the funding would be hidden, would be to avoid congressional oversight, or any regulation or input by congress?

"The closure of the office was announced by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld soon after its existence became publicly known."...

An effort to stop further congressional probes? We know the neocons lied to start a war, can we REALLY trust them on this promise to stop this shadowy effort?

"The OSI would have been a center for the creation of propaganda materials, for the stated purpose of misleading enemy forces or their civilian populations."

Propaganda materials like the selling of a war using fake information, planted in newspapers like the New York Times or in the TV and Radio's sphere of Influence?

"Some argue that due to its nature and stated purpose, the (non-)existence of such an agency would be hard to determine."...

Almost impossible to detect I'd think, unless it came out in something like the Plame investigation.

"In fact, in November 2002, Rumsfeld stated in an interview that only the name of the office was abolished, that it further exists and that it fulfills its original purpose."

Rumbo even admits that this thing was still in operation.

GESTAPO 101?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5224193#5224225