Bush Admnistration Made Up News Stories

Per Frank Rich in his book, The Greatest Story Ever Sold

from JoeUser Forums


During the early years of the war in Afghanistan, the Bush administration was frustrated that the Arab World would not carry many of the stories about our efforts to deal with those that attacked us on 9/11. According to Mr. Rich, the Arab countries were unhappy with Bush because of our policies in the Middle-east and reacted by ignoring stories about our efforts to fight al Qaeda.

The solution was to create an agency within the Pentagon called the Office of Strategic Influence (OSI) to manipulate public opinion with fake stories and e-mails. Although not all the stories provided by the OSI were untrue, many of them had no basis in fact and were designed only to alter public opinion in this country and in the Arab world.

The OSI had a staff of 15 people and a multi-million dollar budget. In February 2002, the NYT learned of this agency and its activities. A week after the NYT alerted the public of the OSI, the Pentagon pulled the plug.

It is doubtful the very short life of this agency had any real impact but it does show the character of the Bush Administration.
politics
2,677 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

Now you are going to sit there and act like disinformation in war is something new? 

 

I saw something that reminded me of you today... then I flushed.

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
So, this is in Frank Rich's book? Is that what brought this on? Because the only thing I found on a news search about it was an article by Arianna Huffington...

The OSI has a Wikipedia article and even a band named after it. If this were a big issue, why wasn't it brought up prior to now?

And, just to rachet up the paranoia: "In fact, in November 2002, Rumsfeld stated in an interview that only the name of the office was abolished, that it still exists and continues to fulfill its original intended purposes."
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Rich did indicate that some of the responsibilities of OSI had been reassigned. The issue is the way this administration operates. Again today is the revelation that another $8 Billion dollars of Iraq reconstruction funding can not be located. The amount of waste and mismanagement that has taken place in this administration is astounding. I will be interested to see what the new Woodward book will reveal. It is to be released Monday and is reported to contain some real BOMB SHELLS about the Bush Administration and the GOP!

Some are claiming the information in the Woodward Book could be election altering in its scope and significance. If the democrats secure one of the houses in Congress, the misdeeds of GWB and his administration will flow like the water over Niagara Falls!
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
You've convinced me. I won't vote to reelect President Bush.

Listen, I don't believe that anything new would be published in a book and kept underwraps until the book itself hit the streets. If there were proof behind whatever allegations are going to be made, the allegations would have already been made (IMO).

(You've confused me with your final statement: if the Dems are in control of Congress, how could the misdeeds of the Republicans "flow"? Wouldn't they wish to stem the tide?)
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
The Bush administration didn't invent War Office disinformation. Departments much like the OSI have been kicking around since WWI more or less continuously. It's how the US has done business for a very, very long time, both with Democrat and Republican involvement.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
The Oversight, that has not been active by Congress under GOP, would uncover the lies and corruption if the Democrats take control. The rebuilding in Iraq and the contracts that have been awarded without bid are beyond belief. The failure to enforce our laws. The way intelligence has been manipulated to go to war all need to be examined.

The best example of the problem was the statement by Senator Frisk when he said his principal responsibility was to support the Commander in Chief. Congress under our Constitution is to be a Co-Equal branch and not just a rubber Stamp of the president. The GOP leadership has not met its responsibilities as that co-equal branch of our government under GOP control!
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Finally you are admitting that the President has no oversight when it comes to any budget, that lies solely on the Congress. We will agree that the republicans have been pretty lousy at upholding that responsibility.

On the other hand, you seem excited about the democrats taking control and spending all their time "uncovering the lies" of the republican leadership and the White House... Sorry Gene, but if that's the best we can hope for with a Democrat majority, I'll pass.

What we need are Senators and Representatives who are willing to represent their states and the people of their district in making the best choices for the US. Not a bunch of schoolyard bickering over what may or may not have happened in the past. I'm sure the democrats would love to investigate the republicans and would only do it in the most fair minded manner.

In other words, what you wish for is nothing more than a witch hunt.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
ParaTed2K

If we need members of Congress that as you state "are willing to represent their states and the people of their district" THEN GOP CANDIDATES ARE IN TROUBLE. The track record of the GOP members of Congress is that they are lock step with Bush even though the VAST MAJORITY of the people they represent wants a different approach. In other words the GOP members of Congress HAVE NOT done as you claim they should do and represent what their constituents want!

Where did I say the President has no oversight for the budget? First it is the President that prepares the budget and given the level of control Bush and the GOP leadership has shown he has a great deal to do with what Congress pass. Then after Congress passes the budget the President has the power of VETO. Given the nearly equal split in Congress, no budget could pass without the Presidents agreement. That is not oversight power in the case of the President that is almost absolute CONTROL.

The Lack of oversight I talked about was by Congress as to what Bush and his minions are doing.