Army psy-ops unit used on Senators

[Inky_Wretch]

The U.S. Army illegally ordered a team of soldiers specializing in "psychological operations" to manipulate visiting American senators into providing more troops and funding for the war, Rolling Stone has learned – and when an officer tried to stop the operation, he was railroaded by military investigators.

The orders came from the command of Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general in charge of training Afghan troops – the linchpin of U.S. strategy in the war. Over a four-month period last year, a military cell devoted to what is known as "information operations" at Camp Eggers in Kabul was repeatedly pressured to target visiting senators and other VIPs who met with Caldwell. When the unit resisted the order, arguing that it violated U.S. laws prohibiting the use of propaganda against American citizens, it was subjected to a campaign of retaliation.

"My job in psy-ops is to play with people’s heads, to get the enemy to behave the way we want them to behave," says Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes, the leader of the IO unit, who received an official reprimand after bucking orders. "I’m prohibited from doing that to our own people. When you ask me to try to use these skills on senators and congressman, you’re crossing a line."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/another-runaway-general-army-deploys-psy-ops-on-u-s-senators-20110223

 

[21]

Men Who Stare at Nancy Pelosi.

 

[SpeedTchr]

I could have sworn this was going to be about the Washington Senators. Only rational explanation for how they remained mired in suckitude.

 

[LongTimeListener]

I was not aware the army even had a Jedi Mind **** division.

 

[Boom_70]

Men Who Stare at Nancy Pelosi.

And she stares back:

 

[Fly]

Men Who Stare at Nancy Pelosi.

And she stares back:

Curiously looks a lot like Anthony Hopkins' dummy in "Magic"...

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Well, since the Army isn't allowed to make large campaign contributions to Senators to get them to do what it wants the All-American way, it's got to do SOMETHING.

 

[jackfinarelli]

Hope it's working better on the enemy in Afghanistan than it has on the Senators...

 

[beardpuller]

Wow. Maybe George Romney didn't deserve to be ridiculed. (old school political reference. Sorry.)

 

[D-3 Fan]

Wow. Maybe George Romney didn't deserve to be ridiculed. (old school political reference. Sorry.)

Or Thomas Eagleton.

 

[User 1019]

Hope it's working better on the enemy in Afghanistan than it has on the Senators...

It works pretty well, actually. Locals think these things are mind control, but in reality they're just kick-ass cameras and weather sensors.

One of the FOBs at which I spent a great deal of time in the Zharey District was receiving indirect fire dozens of times per day until they put up one of these things. Stopped almost immediately. Not one rocket, mortar, RPG or anything else after the balloon went up.

 

[Double J]

As for the operation targeting U.S. senators, there is no way to tell what, if any, influence it had on American policy. What is clear is that in January 2011, Caldwell’s command asked the Obama administration for another $2 billion to train an additional 70,000 Afghan troops – an initiative that will already cost U.S. taxpayers more than $11 billion this year. Among the biggest boosters in Washington to give Caldwell the additional money? Sen. Carl Levin, one of the senators whom Holmes had been ordered to target.

I think the psy-ops have already worked on the millions of Americans who won't blink at $13 billion-plus this year alone to "train" the ****ing Afghans, whatever that even means, but think teachers and other public employees are to blame for the huge fiscal crisis. [/crossthreading]

 

[DanOregon]

I think the Army's efforts on the NFL have been quite successful.

 

[mustangj17]

As for the operation targeting U.S. senators, there is no way to tell what, if any, influence it had on American policy. What is clear is that in January 2011, Caldwell’s command asked the Obama administration for another $2 billion to train an additional 70,000 Afghan troops – an initiative that will already cost U.S. taxpayers more than $11 billion this year. Among the biggest boosters in Washington to give Caldwell the additional money? Sen. Carl Levin, one of the senators whom Holmes had been ordered to target.

I think the psy-ops have already worked on the millions of Americans who won't blink at $13 billion-plus this year alone to "train" the ****ing Afghans, whatever that even means, but think teachers and other public employees are to blame for the huge fiscal crisis. [/crossthreading]

I don't think we should spend another cent in that country. That way a militant group can take over the country. That certainly wont go poorly. I'm sure no Afghani's have any ill will toward the U.S. I bet within a few months they invite our soccer team over for a friendly.

 

[YGBFKM]

As for the operation targeting U.S. senators, there is no way to tell what, if any, influence it had on American policy. What is clear is that in January 2011, Caldwell’s command asked the Obama administration for another $2 billion to train an additional 70,000 Afghan troops – an initiative that will already cost U.S. taxpayers more than $11 billion this year. Among the biggest boosters in Washington to give Caldwell the additional money? Sen. Carl Levin, one of the senators whom Holmes had been ordered to target.

I think the psy-ops have already worked on the millions of Americans who won't blink at $13 billion-plus this year alone to "train" the ****ing Afghans, whatever that even means, but think teachers and other public employees are to blame for the huge fiscal crisis. [/crossthreading]

I don't think we should spend another cent in that country. That way a militant group can take over the country. That certainly wont go poorly. I'm sure no Afghani's have any ill will toward the U.S. I bet within a few months they invite our soccer team over for a friendly.

Losing a war in Afghanistan is one thing. Losing a soccer match, quite another.

 

[terrier]

A joke we need to add to the monologue at the Providence Newspaper Guild Follies tonight, on the MUCH shorter of our two U.S. senators...
"The power of psych-ops has certainly worked on Jack Reed. These days, he feels one foot taller."

 

[Boom_70]

We should send Rolling Stone reporters to take on Al Qaeda and the Taliban. They are single handedly defeating the US Army -- one General at a time.

 

[YankeeFan]

The U.S. Army illegally ordered a team of soldiers specializing in "psychological operations" to manipulate visiting American senators into providing more troops and funding for the war, Rolling Stone has learned – and when an officer tried to stop the operation, he was railroaded by military investigators.

The orders came from the command of Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general in charge of training Afghan troops – the linchpin of U.S. strategy in the war. Over a four-month period last year, a military cell devoted to what is known as "information operations" at Camp Eggers in Kabul was repeatedly pressured to target visiting senators and other VIPs who met with Caldwell. When the unit resisted the order, arguing that it violated U.S. laws prohibiting the use of propaganda against American citizens, it was subjected to a campaign of retaliation.

"My job in psy-ops is to play with people’s heads, to get the enemy to behave the way we want them to behave," says Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes, the leader of the IO unit, who received an official reprimand after bucking orders. "I’m prohibited from doing that to our own people. When you ask me to try to use these skills on senators and congressman, you’re crossing a line."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/another-runaway-general-army-deploys-psy-ops-on-u-s-senators-20110223

Looks like there's a lot less to the story than Rolling Stone would have you believe:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/26/AR2011022603755.html

 

[Azrael]

Looks like there's a lot less to the story than Rolling Stone would have you believe

That's just what the Army wants you to believe. Now stare into the sergeant's eyes. Deep into his eyes. You're feeling sleepy. Very, very sleepy . . .

 

[The Big Ragu]

Nothing to see here. I'm in control.