Pentagon steps up 'battle of ideas'
Given the deliberate disinfo we sometimes get on this site, posting this article seems appropriate (of course, they don't mention targeting the 9/11 Truth Movement):
Pentagon steps up 'battle of ideas'
By Simon Hooper for CNN
(CNN) -- The Pentagon's latest recruits are not soldiers, spies or scientists but spin doctors, bloggers and YouTube DIY filmmakers as it prepares to launch a vigorous new media campaign in support of its ongoing military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Monday the U.S. Defense Department announced it was setting up a "rapid response" operation in order to "get inside the 24/7 news cycle" amid growing criticism of the conduct of the war in Iraq and the leadership of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The new operation is dedicated to providing "more timely responses to breaking news," reacting promptly to critical coverage and offering Pentagon-friendly "information products" to media organizations.
As well as providing experts, guests and analysts to speak publicly on the Pentagon's behalf to the traditional TV, radio and print media, the new operation will also concentrate on harnessing the growing power of new media as a means of getting its message across.
One branch will be dedicated to "creating products and distributing information" for the Internet such as blogs, podcasts and video content for Web sites such as YouTube.
Read full article.
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Very True - and Very Obvious
All the more reason to respect and support the decision of 911Blogger to create an approval process for submitting blogs. Not only is an open system open for abuse - it is downright open to attack - at a time when there is CONSIDERABLE evidence that the internet is a 'front' on the war on truth.
Anyone needing evidence of abuse should check out the New York political message boards for Craigslist. It is literally bombarded - 24/7 - with pro-war, pro-Bush, propaganda of the most obvious kind. As an open system it is the worst example of how altruism only gets you so far in this political environment.
Please note that 911Blogger's decision has been a huge step forward in preserving the credibility of this site - but - also keep in mind that we will, in all probability, see a spike in inappropriate posts on the 'comments' boards. Already I have noticed an unusual amount of anti-semitic posts. This may be the fall-back position of those who seek to disrupt this site. IT is up to us to politely - but firmly - show the anti-semites the door.
yep, what's new!
It's just that now they're being more overt about it. This raises the importance of actually getting offline once in a while and reaching people directly. Appeal to what will naturally be their disgust with all the pro-Bush pro-war propaganda everywhere online, etc. Reassure them that reality is very different from what makes it online.
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Real Truther a.k.a. Verdadero Verdadero
WTCdemolition.com - Harvard Task Force
You noticed, too.
Regarding the anti-Semitism, I'm glad I'm not the only person who noticed. Some particularly crass posts were taken out of the "Silverstien(sic)" thread, but what the hell is going on with the thread "Phone Call Analysis"? The author refers to the "Holy Book of Jewish Terror." Am I missing someting here? Is that an acceptable thing to say?
I do think anti-Semitism is the disinfo fall-back position, maybe to stop the gap while they determine the best successor to No Planery.
Let's be careful about throwing around the term anti-semitism
No doubt disinfo involves throwing in a bunch of typical anti-Jewish rhetoric to buttress the argument that 9/11 truth is all about Jew-hatred. That said, there is no doubt that Israel is tied in with 9/11, that Silverstein is friends with right-wing Zionists, and that Israel has been conducting an aggressive espionage program in the US since before 9/11.
I agree that phrases like "the holy book of Jewish Terror"are inappropriate and offensive--I don't even know what book this person means. What I do know is that anti-semitism is often manufactured purposely to deflect criticism from the state of Israel, which is no more holy than Bush is a Christian.
We have to be on guard against both the disinfo shills that will taint discussion with hateful diatribes, real bigots who should definitely be shown the door (anti-jewish OR anti-muslim OR anti-christian), and also the tendency to restrict legitimate discussion of the actions of the state of Israel for fear of the anti-semite smear.
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Real Truther a.k.a. Verdadero Verdadero
WTCdemolition.com - Harvard Task Force
Oh, agreed.
In fact, that is a big part of why I object to a blog like that one. The author is fairly careful to say "zionist zionist zionist" and then slips in the "Jewish terror" thing. I don't know what that is, either, but the connotation it evokes for me indirectly is the "Protocols of Zion" bullshit.
There's also a distinct subtext which dehumanizes Arabs as well (It's the other anti-Semitism!) with crap about their "dark skin" and propensity to to be savagely violent. (I.e., we would expect Arab terrorists to slash throats, but "Mossad agents" would have to be acting to "descend" to that level -- using a gun with a silencer is much more civilized and thus much more their style, according to this guy.)
Anyway, the author is NOT helping people who want to criticize the State of Israel -- he's muddying the discursive waters yet again with what I think is his fundamental hatred of Jews.
thanks for expounding on that
It's extremely important to tread carefully, and you're right to point out "the other anti-semitism". I wonder about the "fundamental hatred" issue, though. Are Americans who hate muslims expressing a fundamental hatred, for example, or are they just ignorant and too quick to buy into race-based conspiracy theories? Can the same question not be posed to at least begin to understand anti-semitism in the modern context? I think one thing that breeds anti-semitism is the simple fact that the accusation is so often levelled at people by staunch pro-Israel types (what I would define as Zionists) for no reason other than to deflect criticism to the questioner of Israel. This tactic no doubt creates anti-semitism where none may have existed before, where people might say "here these Zionists go again, calling me a bigot, and I don't see any Jewish people coming to my defense... why, they must approve!" I'm not saying that that is the right conclusion, but it certainly is different from a "fundamental hatred of Jews".
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Real Truther a.k.a. Verdadero Verdadero
WTCdemolition.com - Harvard Task Force
I guess you'd have to use context to infer
whether his hatred of Jews is fundamental. Personally, the whole premise of the blog -- his "analysis" of the phone calls -- seemed like a weak pretext to bring up the possibility of Mossad complicity. I have no problem with that, although I think he doesn't argue it very persuasively, because he bases it all on the highly dubious phone calls, and to go one better, uses the content of the phone calls to speculate extravagantly on the events on the planes.
For me, he blew it with the "Book of Jewish Terror" thing and the attached clause "those of us who are familiar with." To me, that reads like a disguised message to other people who see Jews as somehow non-human, and thus have a "fundamental hatred" of them.
I think the possibility of Mossad complicity needs no pretext
Well, Mossad complicity is highly likely so that may not be the best example but your point is taken--he did seem to go to extra lengths to basically do with the hypothetical Mossad agents what the 9/11 Commission and Flight 93 movie have done to a far greater extent with the hypothetical muslim hijackers.
Let's not forget that there are many who very hatefully insist that regardless of whether or not Bush let it happen, it was evil arab muslims who hijacked the planes and slit throats, etc.
Let's be sure to keep things in proper perspective and not forget who the biggest victims of 9/11 were (in terms of numbers) and that is Arab muslims.
We must respect and embrace our Jewish brothers and sisters but they must also stand with us against the vicious smear and bomb campaign directed against our other family members. No exceptions!
And no, that state of Israel is not holy and it and America must be held to the same standards as a country like Iran in every way. Any double standards feed hatred, suspicion, and yes, bigotry--which is always inexcusable but sometimes understandable as more than fundamental hatred.
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Real Truther a.k.a. Verdadero Verdadero
WTCdemolition.com - Harvard Task Force
Hey Verdadero, How is it
Hey Verdadero,
How is it going at Harvard? Do you know if any of the students have never heard that it was an inside job? Is anyone doing anything at Yale?
Thank you
John A - I completely concur with your assessment of the anti-semitic rhetoric
Only surprising thing
about this is the fact that it hasn't happened sooner.
Personally, I feel that when they orchestrated 911, they completely underestimated the power of the Internet as a tool for exposing the lies; most notably, the power of the visual and the ability to play back those towers coming down over and over again.
They were completely unprepared for this. When you look at how Rumsfeld, Cheney and their PNAC buds have been stuck in the Cold War mentality with blinders on, it's no wonder. Now, they're trying to play catch-up.
Let's not forget it is Arabs/Muslims not Jews who are being
brutally murdered & maimed in Afghanistan & Iraq & being tortured out of their minds in Guantanamo (450 still in there)! Okay???
very true--it is a holocaust unto itself, and this time WE are
responsible for stopping it. Never again means NEVER AGAIN TO ANYONE!
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Real Truther a.k.a. Verdadero Verdadero
WTCdemolition.com - Harvard Task Force
I'm sorry, but "Amerika" would never ever consider doing
anything like this to Jews or Israel! But in so many shithead "Amerikan's" minds, they're just dirty Arab/Muslims so it's fine to annihilate them.
I can see why people would feel that way, yes.
And it is a double standard that must end--NOW.
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Real Truther a.k.a. Verdadero Verdadero
WTCdemolition.com - Harvard Task Force
Google actively aiding intelligence agencies?
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/October2006/311006Google.htm