LYING KILLS

[shraby]

NEW YORK -- On Monday of this week, both The New York Times and USA Today published anonymously sourced stories reporting that the Department of Defense (news - web sites) was considering plunging deeply into the disinformation business.

"Such missions," said The Times, "could take the deceptive techniques endorsed for use on the battlefield to confuse an adversary and adopt them for covert propaganda campaigns aimed at neutral and even allied nations."

The timing suggests these stories were leaked by people in the Pentagon (news - web sites) trying to stop the military before it kills again -- or simply shoots itself in the foot. The idea suggests there are crazy people in the Department of Defense. Criminally insane, in this case.

By mission and nature, the military in a democracy exists in an alternate universe. President Richard Nixon, for one, brought as many officers into his White House as he could because they followed orders and kept their mouths shut.

(more)
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ucrr/20041217/cm_ucrr/lyingkills>

[GetTheRightVote]

1. This is getting really scarcy when they plan to lie about the war to cover

up what is happening, but they have been for some time, the reporters are just finally putting it out right ??

[despairing optimist]

2. Lying keeps governments in power and citizens submissive

No news there. It probably goes back to the land of the pharaohs and is even older than Joan Collins. The only difference is that we can be amused by the press's handwringing over it, and even that ages fast. I'd rather see the press expose the lies before they can do any real damage or, failing that, expose the liars and get them out of power.

But them I'm the despairing optimist, so I'll go back to my corner and turn on Home Shopping Network. I love Cher's new makeup line.

[idiosyncratic]

3. ". . . crazy people in the Department of Defense. Criminally insane."

I hope this reporter has a body guard. People reporting negative stories have been dying lately.