War / Peace

As part of its PR strategy to 'by-pass the media filter' that it claims is distorting public perception of the Iraq war with too much negative reporting, the Bush administration has been granting interviews to smaller, more friendly media. A 'media by-pass' tactic of a different sort is being used by critics of the war who, as we've documented in our book Weapons of Mass Deception, have been locked out of mainstream media coverage.

The Internet Archive has unearthed a U.S. military training film from 1968 showing psychological operations (psyops) in a mythical country called "Hostland," where U.S. advisors want help the host government gain the support of its population. "Psychologically, the military in every country in the world represents government authority," it explains as it shows images of a gray-haired diplomat meeting with generals. "As promised by the ambassador, a team of military advisors arrives in Hostland," the film continues.

"Sesame Street's Big Bird is hoping to triumph where George Bush, Tony Blair and numerous heads of state have failed, by bringing peace to the Middle East," reports Julia Day. The children's TV show is preparing a series of programs for broadcast in Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories, promoting cooperation, respect for others and self-esteem.

Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Sam Gardiner, a war gamer who has taught strategy and military operations at the National War College, has produced an analysis which suggests that the White House and Pentagon made up or distorted more than 50 news stories related to the war in Iraq. "It was not bad intelligence," Gardiner says. "It was much more. It was an orchestrated effort. It began before the war, was a major effort during the war and continues as post-conflict distortions. ... It was not just the Pentagon.