Pentagon: 27,000 employees, $4.7 billion for "influence operations" per AP boss

[Gold Metal Flake]

AP CEO: Bush Turned Military Into Propaganda Machine


LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Bush administration turned the U.S. military into a global propaganda machine while imposing tough restrictions on journalists seeking to give the public truthful reports about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Associated Press chief executive Tom Curley said Friday.

snip


Much like in Vietnam, "civilian policymakers and soldiers alike have cracked down on independent reporting from the battlefield" when the news has been unflattering, Curley said. "Top commanders have told me that if I stood and the AP stood by its journalistic principles, the AP and I would be ruined."

snip

Curley said a military program to embed reporters with battlefield units in Iraq was successful in 2003, the war's first year. But afterward, the military expanded its rules from one to four pages, and Curley said they're now so vague, a journalist can be expelled on a whim if a commander doesn't like what's being reported.

snip

His remarks came a day after an AP investigation disclosed that the Pentagon is spending at least $4.7 billion this year on "influence operations" and has more than 27,000 employees devoted to such activities. At the same time, Curley said, the military has grown more aggressive in withholding information and hindering reporters.

27,000 employees. Enough so that more than one could be fucking around on DU in triple shifts.

[SoCalDem]

1. 4.7 B in cuts IDENTIFIED...now they just need to DO it..

Thise bush-bots are just gonna switch their tactics to smarmy smears on Obama's proposed policies now.. they are like worms inside the apple..

[avaistheone1]

2. Looks like we could save ourselves $4.7 billion dollars by eliminating that operation.

I think that should be done YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HowHasItComeToThis]

3. BUSH AND REPUBLICANS SPOIL ALL THEY TOUCH

LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Bush administration turned the U.S. military into a global propaganda machine while imposing tough restrictions on journalists seeking to give the public truthful reports about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Associated Press chief executive Tom Curley said Friday.

Curley, speaking to journalists at the University of Kansas, said the news industry must immediately negotiate a new set of rules for covering war because "we are the only force out there to keep the government in check and to hold it accountable."

Much like in Vietnam, "civilian policymakers and soldiers alike have cracked down on independent reporting from the battlefield" when the news has been unflattering, Curley said. "Top commanders have told me that if I stood and the AP stood by its journalistic principles, the AP and I would be ruined."

Curley said in a brief interview that he didn't take the commanders' words as a threat but as "an expression of anger." Late in 2007, Curley wrote an editorial about the detention of AP photographer Bilal Hussein, held by the military for more than two years.

READ THE LINK http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/06/ap-ceo-bush-turned-milita_n_164812.html

[Gold Metal Flake]

4. The 27,000 employees are still on the job.

Think the Pentagon folks know what a concern troll is?