One more elite institution goes batty

One More Elite Institution Goes Batty

by digby

I think we've all be fairly well educated about the ongoing failure of elite institutions like banking, government and religion. But aside from the usual philosophical differences I had thought the military was the mast more or less functional institution. Now, not so much. This is just wacky:

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."

This is obviously unconstitutional. The elected representatives are their bosses. (It is insubordination at the very least.)

But sadly, I would guess that most of the congresspeople don't really care. In fact, they are probably relieved --- they want to be spun on this. Going against the military is a career ender for most of them and they know it. It's sacred, right up there with Jesus and Nascar.

So this is actually quite silly --- and a reflection of a dysfunctional institution. The governing elites don't need to be spun, propagandized or brainwashed. They are more than willing to carry the military's water.

Read the whole article. It's astonishing.

Update: Ok fuggedaboudit. The military has been off the deep end for some time. I was being naive. Read this piece by Sarah Posner about the Islamophobia Industrial complex and its relationship to the military. Creepy.