Press and "Psy Ops" to merge at NATO Afghan Headquarters: sources

by John Hemming

Global Research, December 2, 2008  http://www.globalresearch.ca
Reuters - 2008-11-29

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KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. general commanding NATO forces in Afghanistan
has ordered a merger of the office that releases news with "Psy Ops,"
which deals with propaganda, a move that goes against the alliance's
policy, three officials said.

The move has worried Washington's European NATO allies -- Germany has
already threatened to pull out of media operations in Afghanistan -- and
the officials said it could undermine the credibility of information
released to the public.

Seven years into the war against the Taliban, insurgent influence is
spreading closer to the capital and Afghans are becoming increasingly
disenchanted at the presence of some 65,000 foreign troops and the
government of President Hamid Karzai.

Taliban militants, through their website, telephone text messages and
frequent calls to reporters, are also gaining ground in the information
war, analysts say.

U.S. General David McKiernan, the commander of 50,000 troops from more
than 40 nations in NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF),
ordered the combination of the Public Affairs Office (PAO), Information
Operations and Psy Ops (Psychological Operations) from December 1, said a
NATO official with detailed knowledge of the move.

"This will totally undermine the credibility of the information released
to the press and the public," said the official, who declined to be named.

ISAF spokesman Brigadier General Richard Blanchette said McKiernan had
issued a staff order to implement a command restructure from December 1
which was being reviewed by NATO headquarters in Brussels, but he declined
to go into details of the reorganization.

"This is very much an internal matter," he said. "This is up with higher
headquarters right now and we're waiting to get the basic approval. Once
we have the approval we will be going into implementation."

But another ISAF official confirmed that the amalgamation of public
affairs with Information Operations and Psy Ops was part of the planned
command restructure. This official, who also declined to be named, said
the merger had caused considerable concern at higher levels within NATO
which had challenged the order by the U.S. general.

"DECEPTION ACTIVITIES"

NATO policy recognizes there is an inherent clash of interests between its
public affairs offices, whose job it is to issue press releases and answer
media questions, and that of Information Operations and Psy Ops.

Information Operations advises on information designed to affect the will
of the enemy, while Psy Ops includes so-called "black operations," or
outright deception.

While Public Affairs and Information Operations, PA and Info Ops in
military jargon, "are separate, but related functions," according to the
official NATO policy document on public affairs, "PA is not an Info Ops
discipline."

The new combined ISAF department will come under the command of an
American one-star general reporting directly to McKiernan, an arrangement
that is also against NATO policy, the NATO official said.

"While coordination is essential, the lines of authority will remain
separate, the PA reporting directly to the commander. This is to maintain
credibility of PA and to avoid creating a media or public perception that
PA activities are coordinated by, or are directed by, Info Ops," the NATO
policy document says.

"PA will have no role in planning or executing Info Ops, Psy Ops, or
deception activities," it states.

The United States has 35,000 of the 65,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan,
operating both under ISAF and a separate U.S.-led coalition operation, but
both come under McKiernan's command.

Washington is already scheduled to send another 3,000 troops to arrive in
the country in January and is now considering sending 20,000 more troops
in the next 12 to 18 months, further tipping the numerical balance among
ISAF forces.

"What we are seeing is a gradual increase of American influence in all
areas of the war," the NATO official said. "Seeking to gain total control
of the information flow from the campaign is just part of that."

 Global Research Articles by John Hemming

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