Pentagon Black Propaganda Used on Americans

	Updated: Now fortified with additional links.   Pentagon Uses Black Propaganda on Americans
	Black propaganda is defined as “any form of communication ‘that purports to emanate from a source other than the true one’ in support of national objectives designed to influence the opinions, emotions, attitudes, or behavior of any group in order to benefit the sponsor, either directly or indirectly.”[1]     Taking a page from Joseph Stalin’s book of propaganda, the conservative-Republican Bush administration established a black propaganda program. The Pentagon Military Analyst Program (PMAP) was launched in early 2002 by then Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Victoria Clarke. Clarke and her senior aide, Brent T. Krueger, signed up retired military officers to regularly appeared on television and radio news programs as military analysts. They also wrote newspaper op/ed columns. Clarke and Kruger were able to recruit more than 75 retired military officers to parrot the conservative-Republican Bush’s talking points.[2]   PMAP, a black propaganda operation, purpose was to disseminate largely false information generated by the conservative-Republican Bush administration. The initial operation of the program was to help sell a skeptical public on “a possible Iraq invasion” and war.   The information deliverers, being mostly retired high ranking military officers, would “independently” validate the administration’s case. The operation was successful beyond all expectations in making the conservative-Republican Bush administration’s case for the Iraq war. Using any type of propaganda on Americans is illegal. “Generally speaking, there are two legal restrictions on agency public relations activities and propaganda. 5 U.S.C. 3107 prohibits the use of appropriated funds to hire publicity experts. Appropriations law ’publicity and propaganda‚ clauses restrict the use of funds for puffery of an agency, purely partisan communications, and covert propaganda.”[3] — Truthmonk

 

References
1		Department of Defense; Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms; Department of Defense; Joint Publication 1-02, Pages 68 and 434; April 12, 2001, amended March 04, 2008. Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
2		Barstow, David; MESSAGE MACHINE; Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand; The New York Times; Webpage; April 20, 2008; Accessed April 28. 2008. MESSAGE MACHINE; Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand or MESSAGE MACHINE; Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand (print friendly)
3		Kosar, Kevin R. Public Relations and Propaganda: Restrictions on Executive Agency Activities; CRS Report for Congress; RL32750, Page ii; Updated March 21, 2005. CRS Report for Congress

 

Further Information
		Video with transcript: Judy Woodruff; Government Curries Favor With Military News Analysts (00:11:38); PBS NewsHour; April 24, 2008; Accessed May 2, 2008. Government Curries Favor With Military News Analysts   Summary article with lots of links: Source Watch; Pentagon military analyst program; Source Watch; May 2, 2008; Accessed May 2, 2008. Pentagon military analyst program   Summary article: Farsetta, Diane and Rampton, Sheldon; Pentagon Pundit Scandal Broke the Law; Center for Media and Democracy; Webpage; April 28, 2008; Accessed April 30. 2008. Pentagon Pundit Scandal Broke the Law