Former generals serving as “military analysts†on television may not be the independent observers that most viewers assumed. Many of them have been recruited by the Pentagon and have financial ties to military contractors, the New York Times reported.
“Records and interviews show how the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform the analysts into a kind of media Trojan horse — an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks,†the Times determined after suing to obtain Pentagon e-mails and other documents. “Analysts have been wooed in hundreds of private briefings with senior military leaders, including officials with significant influence over contracting and budget matters, records show.æ. . . In turn, members of this group have echoed administration talking points, sometimes even when they suspected the information was false or inflated. Some analysts acknowledge they suppressed doubts because they feared jeopardizing their access.â€
No doubt many military analysts are independent and aren’t improperly influenced by the Pentagon or business ties. But internal documents show that the Pentagon was involved in recruiting and cultivating “message force multipliers†and “surrogates†it could count on to deliver administration “themes and messages.â€
50 Comments
Anyone who believes anything the New York Times has to say is a left wing brain dead liberal.
Besides the general effort to poison this well, do you have any specific criticisms of the information contained in this article?
http://www.don-lindsay-archive.org/skeptic/arguments.html#well
SED,
SSITL, may be arguing fallaciously, but the NYTs has shown themselves to be so slanted or opinionated in their, what should be, ‘reporting’ that only the most opinionated themselves, or ignorant, would not be suspicious of anything they print. And, they’ve been caught at it over and over and over.
Fortunately, they are financially close to being on the ropes and downsizing employees, hopefully those going are the biased writers.
The administration’s communications experts responded swiftly. Early one Friday morning, they put a group of retired military officers on one of the jets normally used by Vice President Dick Cheney and flew them to Cuba for a carefully orchestrated tour of Guantánamo.
Hidden behind that appearance of objectivity
vested in the very war policies
——————————————–
Selected weasel words and phrases appear to be sour grapes by the NYT for not getting invited to the party.
Boxlock,
Okay, thanks for sharing your opinion.
A specific criticism I would have is the article’s contention that the analysts did not adhere to journalistic standards of independence. I did not know that this was an expectation. However, the analysts do present themselves with authorities and the cable networks are all to glad to pass them off as such. I think Fox, CNN, etc. failed when they did not acknowledge the analysts’ sources of potential bias and lack of independence.
The Bush administration has been remarkably well disciplined when it comes to their various messages. They know an easy way to manage the media is to shut off their information (read Oxygen) if they displease them.
“Some analysts acknowledge they suppressed doubts because they feared jeopardizing their access.”
That doesn’t really make them any different from your garden variety journalist.
Yawn.
with authorities should be “as” authorities…
“media Trojan horse”
Everyone knows the story of the Trojan Horse. Inside the wooden horse were the enemies of the people in the city. So, these military analysts are the enemies of the people. Nice simile Times. And you wonder why you keep losing money.
It’s good to be null.
I wonder how it feels to sell your soul to the Bush Administraion…
Steven,
Can’t disagree with you on your last post. I guess I’ve come to expect, uh…less than objective reporting and a degree of bias from most news outlets on whichever side of the issue. Sad! :(
I wonder how it feels to sell your soul to the Bush Administraion…
It’s easier if you don’t have one to begin with.
The “funny” thing is that it was precisely this type of Beltway pseudo-journalism (of which the Times was a willing participant) that got us into this mess in the first place.
It looks to me that, post-Judith Miller, Sulzberger’s trying to rehabilitate the Gray Lady’s rep. Breaking the NSA spying story in 2005 was a good start.
It’s amusing to the right-wingers predictably lambast it as left-wing propaganda, oblivious to reality. It’s easier than thinking.
P.S. “null”: I could have been ‘null’, too, but I prefer this. :)
In small towns, cops play the same game. They threaten to “shut you off.” However, you quickly learn that since they only tell you what they want you to know, access is generally worthless, as far as getting at the truth is concerned. Same goes for the administration. If they won’t talk, go to the public record. There are journalists who do that you know, and produce scoop after scoop.
In other words, access to lies is not reporting
SSITL, okay do not believe the New York Times… Believe these guys:
“A few expressed regret for participating in what they regarded as an effort to dupe the American public with propaganda dressed as independent military analysis.
“It was them saying, ‘We need to stick our hands up your back and move your mouth for you,’ ” Robert S. Bevelacqua, a retired Green Beret and former Fox News analyst, said.
Kenneth Allard, a former NBC military analyst who has taught information warfare at the National Defense University, said the campaign amounted to a sophisticated information operation. “This was a coherent, active policy,” he said.
As conditions in Iraq deteriorated, Mr. Allard recalled, he saw a yawning gap between what analysts were told in private briefings and what subsequent inquiries and books later revealed.
“Night and day,” Mr. Allard said, “I felt we’d been hosed.”
“SSITL
Posted April 22, 2008 at 6:08 am | Permalink
Anyone who believes anything the New York Times has to say is a left wing brain dead liberal.”
Yea – ESPECIALLY anyone who believed the NYT’s cheerleading in the runup to Bush’s war.
This has been a constant ever since Colin Powell was sent to report to the United Nations:
The Bush White House lies to trusting friends so they will lie to the American people.
The first casualty of war is truth, a historian wrote. I might differ. Civilians are often the first casualties. The question: Is it legal to spend public tax dollars to propagandize the public? Conservative taxpayers would scream bloody murder if City Hall did something like this. The Pentagon has too much money to spend.
test
That’s exactly what I was thinking too, Ben.
Judith Miller’s “OMG! Stop Saddam before he kills us all!” breathless and wholly unsubstantiated front-page BS has to be the biggest embarrassment the NYT’s has experienced in recent memory . . . if you can call helping 4,000 American soldiers to die for a pack of lies an “embarrassment.”
Somehow, I don’t think that’s what Boxcrock and SHTTS had in mind in their criticism of the Times.
Rage and bth,
The tide seemed to turn with Katrina. That seemed to be the point where many of the MSM saw the shimmer of reality. Some opened their eyes a little and shared, while others went back to the comfort of closing them. Since then, I’ve heard Andersoon Cooper, especialy, say some not-so-nice things about this admin.
The tide seemed to turn with Katrina.
Sorry. No pun intended.
“It’s amusing to the right-wingers predictably lambast it as left-wing propaganda, oblivious to reality. It’s easier than thinking”
Actually, what is easier than thinking is what duh Libs do. Constantly chastising, insulting and generally making remarks more suitable in a bar room fight.
With some exceptions, it appears that most Lib Progressives cannot start the day without bitchin’ about something.
These independent analyst talking heads should have full disclosure like on the CNBC, put a check mark if they have any vested interest/relationship with the administration.
It’s a clear pattern of this admin. trying to control the media, we’ve seen it before with their passing off propaganda from paid shills in the media.
Writerdog,
That is not what happened to Pastor Wright at all.
Really Nathan have you watched the entire video? The “God damn America” comes from a sermon where Wright is pointing out that as long as America does things that God does not approve of. As long as we treat others badly and act as if we are all knowing and act like America is God. We can sing “God Bless America” but until we change, it will be God damn America. We have been hearing the same things from Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swagger, Terry Fox and the list goes on.
The Chickens coming home to roost comment comes from a longer sermon where Wright said it was said by someone else in response to 9-11. And it was an example of what he believes God told him in response to his question to God. “ How should I deal with this?” and God said it is a time that one should check their own relationship with God. A time for self retrospect rather then blind revenge and anger we should try to understand first why it happened. And what caused it before acting then decide on the proper response.
And again this concept is no different than what other men of God was saying.
SSITL… You have made the big time! Being quoted on the “Animal Breeding research page“!
Thanks to your comment breeding animals can now know which end it for breeding?
The other thing the mainstream media neglects to mention: planting fake sources is illegal.
We’ll have to add that to Bush’s list of charges . . .
You mean, the administration attempts – fairly successfully – to manage the flow of information from their administration?
Say it ain’t so . . .
This gets a DUH. EVERY administration from the beginning of time has attempted to do so; the next administration, whether Obama’s, Clinton’s, or McCain’s will also do so. Welcome to the real world.
I should add Clinton I was very good at it. They even got one of their cronies, Stephanopolis, passed of as a “journalist” to this day.
Pimping for the pentagon.Would be nice if these buckaroos would dress for the part. Maybe a purple silk jumpsuit with a full length fur coat then top it off with a three musketeer hat.
Remember when the reporting of news was a report of facts known at this time, without opinions given, editorializing, or making speculations and conclusions? Each person who listened thought about that news, made their own opinions and / or decisions to further investigate. Just the facts.
There used to be investigative reporting and the good reporters told us what the investigation showed and left off their conclusions. Expanded facts.
Finally, we had editorials clearly identified as the opinions of the writer. We listened to and read several to be well informed of each “take” on the situation.
Today it’s hard to find news not colored by opinion. Investigations seem not to happen very often and don’t seem as factual as opinionated. Editorials are passed off as news.
When I want to know more about something I find myself reading oodles and gobs and trying to sift through to get to any facts. I have the internet, access to most everything written by everyone, about a thousand news channels and I feel it’s more difficult to get the straight scoop.
Who and what publications do all of you read, listen to, trust? Are there any left that give the straight scoop?
Who is running this blog? I’m logged in as somebody else I never heard of.
’bout ready to give up
“You mean, the administration attempts – fairly successfully – to manage the flow of information from their administration?”
Not the same.
This administration has produced its own news clips and sent them to mainstream media outlets without disclosing that they were made by the BushCo.
These retired Generals shilling for war in Iraq did not disclose that they were being paid by BushCo. or its close allies to say what they say.
“Remember when the reporting of news was a report of facts known at this time, without opinions given, editorializing, or making speculations and conclusions? Each person who listened thought about that news, made their own opinions and / or decisions to further investigate. Just the facts.”
Such a past never was, Linda. It’s fantasy. News has always been slanted; in fact, for most of our history, newspapers were known as organs of one party or another. It’s only in recent history that news pretended to be unbiased.
And they’re not, of course, even if they try to be. At best, “unbiased” is lieing to one’s self. Newsrooms are full of the kinds of folks who tend to go into journalism, overwhelmingly liberal, and democratic. It’s just as it is. The news often, though not always, reflects same.
Many writers on this blog claim it’s not so, but they lie to themselves as well. Remember the hissy had by some here when Tony Snow was working at Fox? See any similar hissy over Clinton’s boy Stephanopolis at ABC? No? That’s because Stephanopolis fit their world view – he was “good” bias.
There is nothing new under the sun. Just as the administration attempting to manage the media isn’t new. Every administration has attempted same. Frankly, the Bush WH simply took a page from the Clinton WH, and went one better.
There were other ‘journalist’, that were being paid by the admin., IIRC. Should have been an investigation then. We’ve become so Pravadized, I doubt that anything will come of these revelations. Just look at GMC’s comment for instance. It’s just business as usual, only that 7 yrs. ago something like this would have not been passed off as the norm.
Phantom:
This has always been the “norm.” Gov’t uses the media, media uses the gov’t. It has always been an incestuous relationship.
Are you folks just now taking the blinders off?
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/04/22/in-honor-of-the-lying-military-analysts-for-cable-tv/
This is old, sad news. Operatives paid by the Pentagon in order to lead the ignorant to disaster.
The truth shall set you free.
Writerdog,
I have seen one of the videos, the one with the chickens coming home to roost.
The crap that man says is just that.
“Nathaniel” pontificates –
“I have seen one of the videos, the one with the chickens coming home to roost.
“The crap that man says is just that.”
Which (again) begs the question: Who made you “Nathanel,” the judge of others’ “Christianity?”
Isn’t that old, “Judge not, lest ye be judged” verse in your version of the Bible?
When was the last time you asked yourself that Monkey?
Hey, anyone remember Armstrong Williams, the “journalist” who was on the White House payroll? There is a pattern.
Nice GMC: Propagandists in uniforms regurgitate the admininstration line, all whilst proclaiming their faux independence, and you somehow (with a presumably straight face) reduce this “getting their message out.”
Oddly enough, I’ve heard this stupid argument before–mainly the “government lies all the time, move along, nothing to see here!” One might note that using the private sector to disseminate government lies is one step beyond.
But the proper reaction is “government lies all the time, and grave consequences result when when meekly accept it as a fait acompli”. One might as well declare your undying love for Big Brother.
Dang. I’ve been nulled again. The above was mine. outlander
Rage:
It’s called reality. You might try looking into it. Recognizing that it is, is hardly mindlessly accepting what is said. It’s hardly new; every administration has done similarly. I’m surprised that anyone here is surprised by this.
You haven’t been paying attention.
And the fact that it happens, has always happened, and will always happen is why EVERYTHING government says is taken with a VERY large grain of salt. I assume they’re lying, until I can confirm otherwise. Always.
Everthing said by ABC/NBC/CBS/CNN/FOX is equally taken with said large grain of salt. I always assume everyone on the media has an agenda, and I’m hardly shocked that ex-military maintain ties to the Pentagon. I’d be surprised if they didn’t. The Pentagon certainly understands that information is part of the war effort, and will use the means at their disposal to control that information. EVERY hired talking head is pushing their own agenda. We KNOW spin is part of the game; and media (or at least some of it) knows we know.
Why should I be up in arms that gov’t is a propogandist? OF COURSE IT IS!!!! It ALWAYS has been, and always will be.
It’s part of the game. They lie, I wade through the crap to try to get to the truth. And life goes on.
That’s the beauty of the internet, in part. While there is enormous chaff to sift through, one can get information from numerous sources, and make up your own mind.
“It’s part of the game. They lie, I wade through the crap to try to get to the truth. And life goes on.”
And before you get bent that I “accept” this, understand something. It has always been so, and will always be so. NOTHING you, I, or anyone else can do will ever change it. The best we can do is recognize it, and act accordingly.
It’s the nature of human beings, especially those in power. And it’s true no matter which party is in power.
null,
You are probably way ahead of this suggestion but have you tried to log out, delete cookies, and log back in?
Actually I kind of like the nic ‘null’, oops, sorry!
GMC, there’s a difference between trying to have good relations with the Media, and trying to control the media with plants (that gay prostitute), paying for columnist stories, and putting out disinformation to so called expert contributors.
Exactly, Phantom!
If Bush went around with a .45 and shot his political opponents in the head, GMC would say, “oh well, politics ain’t beanbag. Political fighting has been around since the founding of the country. Look at Burr and Hamilton.”
David Vitter? GMC: Dressing and diapers and having prostitutes defecate on him was only a rumor, so stop saying that!
Toe-tapping Larry Craig? GMC: The guy has a wide stance.
Is this what you tell the police when they bring public sex perverts and prostitute’s johns in for you to prosecute?
“Oh, well, they all do it . . . Nothing to see here . . . “
Also, mega dittos, Rage.
Even accepting GMC’s cynical conclusion that “they all do it” doesn’t mean that we who are their effing bosses need to continue to tolerate it.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, even in CON world.
:CapnAmerica
Posted April 22, 2008 at 3:57 pm | Permalink
Also, mega dittos, Rage.”
So you are a Rush fan?
I would’na believed it!
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[...] bogormen wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAnyone who believes anything the New York Times has to say is a left wing brain dead liberal. [...]
[...] writerdog wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThese independent analyst talking heads should have full disclosure like on the CNBC, put a check mark if they have any vested interest/relationship with the administration. It’sa clear pattern of this admin. trying to control the media … [...]
[...] statsman wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptOddly I was just commenting on the “God damn America” thread on the message board. Here is a part of my comment it seem to fit here too:. In order to make a fair judgment all the relevant information is needed. … [...]
[...] fuglyhorseoftheday wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt“It’s part of the game. They lie, I wade through the crap to try to get to the truth. And life goes on.” And before you get bent that I “accept” this, understand something. It has always been so, and will always be so. … [...]
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt:CapnAmerica Posted April 22, 2008 at 3:57 pm | Permalink Also, mega dittos, Rage.” So you are a Rush fan? I would’na believed it! [...]