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Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site

by susanhu
Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 09:54:19 AM EST

FYI Update: I watched Robert Greenwald's Uncovered: The War on Iraq this afternoon. Pat Lang was one of the experts featured in the documentary.

__________________

The other day, No Quarter contributor Pat Lang (bio) asked, "[Is There] Anyone like Juan Cole in the FBI?," and wrote:

Cole's comprehension of the complexities of Islamic and Arab World thinking stands in stark contrast to the former senior FBI official who opined a couple of weeks ago that, "well, one crime scene is much like any other," and who could not offer any explanation of the differences between Sunni and Shia Islam.

This morning, in a post titled "Mind Control," Pat Lang -- a former DoD official and senior intelligence officer, and the first professor of Arab languages at West Point -- says that he received this e-mail from an active duty officer:

"To: Patrick Lang
Subject: RE: Anyone like Juan Cole in the FBI?

Sir:

I am in ---------------------.

FYI- Juan Cole's site is being blocked at Ft ----- and other installations by the thought police.

-------------------------------.

Fred"

More below:

Pat Lang prefaced the above e-mail -- clearly redacted by Lang to protect the identity of the officer who wrote to him -- with this:

Well, folks, I received this from an active duty officer with experience in the field.

Just how stupid can we become?

Eliot Cohen has an OP/ED in the W Post today in which he“examines his conscience” on the whole subject of the“thinking” that has governed the war. The occasion for this is the imminent deployment of his infantry officer son to the war that he helped create AND screw up.

He has learned something. It is clear that others have not.

And, so you get the full context of Pat Lang's about Juan Cole the other day, here is the full post, including that which I quoted above the fold:

Anyone like Juan Cole in the FBI?

In discussing the identities of the perpetraters of various terrorist outrages, commentators seem to fall into two groups:

1- those who are at great pains to explain that those who do such things are not true Muslims at all, but rather some strange breed of human who "hate freedom" and whose basic motivation is a native savagery and

2- representative examples of that part of the world's population who are simply incapable of logical thought and "crazy."

This quotation from Juan Cole gives a glimpse into the variety of philosophy and political thought that leads people like the London bombres to do what they do. Cole's comprehension of the complexities of Islamic and Arab World thinking stands in stark contrast to the former senior FBI official who opined a couple of weeks ago that, "well, one crime scene is much like any other," and who could not offer any explanation of the differences between Sunni and Shia Islam. Pat Lang

"If the communique issued by Qaeda al-Jihad in Europe is authentic, then this attack cannot be linked to Zarqawi. They say they are taking revenge for British troops' "massacres" of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq. But Zarqawi's Salafi group would never celebrate "Arabism" or speak of "heroes" (abtal) when referring to the "holy warriors" or mujahidin. Urubah and batal, Arabism and hero, are typical of the vocabulary of secular Arab nationalism-- in, say, the tradition of Gamal Abdel Nasser. That message is coming from a group of terrorists that is much more comfortable with this language than are typically the extremist Salafis like Zarqawi. "Hero" would seem a term of humanistic pride to them, and Arabism would seem narrow and idolatrous as a competitor with Islam. There are Muslim thinkers who meld political Islam and Arabism-- this is common in Egypt, e.g. But they belong to a different religious and intellectual tradition than Zarqawi. " Professor Juan Cole

Of Note: No Quarter, the blog where Pat Lang posts, was founded by Larry C. Johnson, a former CIA and State Dept. analyst.

P.S. The Washington Post commentary by military historian Eliot Cohen is in today's edition on Page B01, and titled "A Hawk Questions Himself as His Son Goes to War."

Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site | 23 comments (23 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (4.00 / 3)

I haven't found the quote by an FBI official to which Pat Lang refers. (He didn't link it.) I'll see if I can ask him directly.

Then there's more of this:

A quote from today's WaPo piece by Cohen that Pat Lang refers to:

... But a pundit should not recommend a policy without adequate regard for the ability of those in charge to execute it, and here I stumbled. I could not imagine, for example, that the civilian and military high command would treat "Phase IV" -- the post-combat period that has killed far more Americans than the "real" war -- as of secondary importance to the planning of Gen. Tommy Franks's blitzkrieg. I never dreamed that Ambassador Paul Bremer and Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the two top civilian and military leaders early in the occupation of Iraq -- brave, honorable and committed though they were -- would be so unsuited for their tasks, and that they would serve their full length of duty nonetheless. I did not expect that we would begin the occupation with cockamamie schemes of creating an immobile Iraqi army to defend the country's borders rather than maintain internal order, or that the under-planned, under-prepared and in some respects mis-manned Coalition Provisional Authority would seek to rebuild Iraq with big construction contracts awarded under federal acquisition regulations, rather than with small grants aimed at getting angry, bewildered young Iraqi men off the streets and into jobs.

I did not know, but I might have guessed.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:05:29 AM EST

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (4.00 / 2)

The abundance of willful ignorance and the complete lack of serious thought are at the core of how fucked up the Iraq situation has been allowed to become.
godDAMNit!

by lp (mooshter@aol.com) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:43:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (none / 1)

So, do they think blocking Cole's site will cover up the massive ineptitude and lack of foresight that comes from the top down in the Iraq folly?

Why do these folks always remind me of the tailors in the story of The Emperor's New Clothes?

"Little people are very stuff-intensive."

by CabinGirl on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:20:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

It may help in a small way (none / 0)

to preserve the mindset of those who are still hypnotic under the spell of their military indoctrination. For those who may be questioning the programming it helps to make them feel isolated and "wrong" and condemned in a way so that they will keep their mouths shut around the others. It is rough being at Rucker right now. Most of the soldiers here haven't seen Iraq, my husband is almost treated to some sort of celebrity as someone who has been to Iraq and man do they seem like they are chunks of walking toast to me somedays. All the T.V.s at the hospital facility are tuned to FOX News with big signs on them forbidding anybody from turning the channel ever!! WELCOME TO THE GRINDER! It is a mindset as much as Al Qaeda is to me anymore, it also shares a funny thing in common with Al Qaeda programming. If a soldier defies his own natural tendencies to preserve himself and seek a peaceful way to resolve all of this and he is killed while defying his human tendencies.....he is a hero. Whether it is 40 virgins or being placed on a HUGE ENORMOUS PEDASTAL OF AMERICAN DIETY OF PATRIOTISM it is still all the same old crapola to me. The key is to never see anybody other than your group as other human beings or worthy of your consideration, they must be seen as less than to be able to accept that they need your help and to accept their daily collateral deaths as necessary unpleasantness. The second key is that your groups survival is what is important and your own survival is of no consequence....if that starts to bother you remember that if you are killed you will be the biggest hero you could ever hope to be if you are killed. If one started thinking or feeling for ones self others around may start to do it also and begin to allow the "enemy" to do it and the war machine breaks down.

PMS Purchase More Shoes

by Militarytracy on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 03:56:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It may help in a small way (none / 0)

This pains me to hear -- the hospital facility forces FOX news down their throats? Is it like this everywhere? What are the people in the surrounding town like?

I want something else, to get me through this, semi-charmed kinda life..
Third Eye Blind

by brinnainne on Mon Jul 11th, 2005 at 09:59:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I read Cohen's terrible op-ed. (none / 0)

His neocon-centric perspectives are appalling in every respect.

In response, I sent this LTE to WaPo.

Reading Eliot Cohen's disturbing commentary, I am reminded of the gratitude I feel for my own father, (a military man),; someone who understood that when one's child goes off to war, it's an occassion for lamentation and true regret, not a time for pride and ideological self-certainty.
I feel sorry for Mr. Cohen's child, as I would for the child of anyone who seemed more interested in reinforcing his own rational for a war he pushed so vigorously than he does in truly questioning the wisdom of initiating that conflict in the first place.
Godspeed to the child; shame on the father.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 11:23:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (none / 0)

Susan, how have they blocked mr. Coles site? I have just returned from his site an dhe is still online. It seems to be current, as well.

by BrendaStewart (stormyweather1@hotmail.com) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 11:49:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (none / 0)

Just military ISPs, apparently. I hope Pat Lang does some more hunting on this ... he has the contacts to do so. And I expect that Juan Cole may comment on this (I sent Prof. Cole the story).

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 12:16:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (none / 0)

good then, I would hate to not have his site up and running for I so enjoy reading on it. Thanks

by BrendaStewart (stormyweather1@hotmail.com) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 03:19:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (none / 0)

Cross-posted at DailyKos.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:11:46 AM EST

This Is interesting (none / 1)

but is BooMan Trib ignoring this

Matt Cooper's Source
What Karl Rove told Time magazine's reporter

To thine own self be true. W.S.

by sybil on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:19:49 AM EST

Re: This Is interesting (none / 0)

ignoring the Rove story?

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:26:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This Is interesting (4.00 / 2)

I just posted a diary on this.

Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.

by alohaleezy on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:41:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This Is interesting (none / 0)

E-mail me right now.

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:46:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm sorry (none / 0)

I did not want to hijack your excellent article on
the military censorship of Juan Cole's blog.

It is just that the Newsweek story this morning is
all over the liberal blogs and I was hoping for
an Open Thread or something to mention it here.

carry on...

To thine own self be true. W.S.

by sybil on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 10:49:05 AM EST

Re: I'm sorry (none / 0)

It's my fault for hitting the sack early and sleeping in til 630AM. Hangs head. Thank GOD that AlohaLeezy was on the job! And YOU TOO!

Hickok: "You know the sound of thunder. Can you imagine that sound if I ask you to? Ma'am, listen to the thunder."

by susanhu (susanhuatearthlinkdotnet) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 11:23:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

No surprise that the govt. is censoring access (none / 1)

Juan Cole's site. Every swindler knows that if you can control the information that reaches your victim, you can get that victim to do anything you want. It's true of money-based con-men, sex-based con-men, partisan political con-men and religion-based con-men.

Just as Dobson has contaminated the evangelical population with his shabby, self-serving, and powermad hucksterism, so too the Bush regime is dominated by aggressively unscrupulous pitch-men and swindlers, willing to do or say anything to advance their agenda and fulfill their own desires.

Their contempt for America, their contempt for Democracy, is astonishing in it's scope.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 11:36:17 AM EST

Their Contempt Shouldn't Be Astonishing (4.00 / 2)

This movement has been very pointedly constructing this kind of control and freedom for at least 40 years, not only within government, but also within culture, the economy and society generally.

They are dismantling democracy to the extent that it can have any effect on wealth and commerce. That's why they can afford to be so cavalier. Whatever about democracy isn't collaterally damaged by projects such as Iraq would eventually have been purposely dismantled anyways.

Rule of thumb, if anything affects a dollar, it will be removed from the people's reach.

Our system is built to create and foster these forces, and it's wide open to being co-opted by them once they grow beyond a certain scale. It's going to take a very effective and lucky effort to stop the hemmoraging, but it'll take something close to nation building to cure the disease.

We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy.... --ML King, "Beyond Vietnam"

by Gooserock on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 12:49:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You are right of course. (none / 0)

These ambitious and greedy interests have been dismantling democratic mechanisms for decades.

Yet even though I know this, I'm still astonished at their audacity, the impunity with which they impose their will, and the fact that they're able to get away with so much without being effectively challenged.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 03:26:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site (none / 0)

what is that old saying? You can fool some of the ppl some of the time but...........

by BrendaStewart (stormyweather1@hotmail.com) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 11:52:30 AM EST

DoD Command and Control Research Program (none / 1)

The Command and Control Research Program (CCRP) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (NII) focuses upon

improving both the state of the art and the state of the practice of command and control
enhancing DoD's understanding of the national security implications of the Information Age.

It provides "Out of the Box" thinking and explores ways to help DoD take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Information Age. The CCRP forges links between the operational and technical communities, and enhances the body of knowledge and research infrastructure upon which future progress depends.

The CCRP pursues a broad program of research and analysis in command and control (C2) theory, doctrine, applications, systems, the implications of emerging technology, and C2 experimentation. It also develops new concepts for C2 in joint, combined, and coalition operations in the context of both traditional and non-traditional missions (OOTW).

Additionally, the CCRP supports professional military education in the areas of C2, Information Superiority, network-centric operations, and related technologies. To complement its own program of research, the CCRP provides a clearinghouse and archive for other C2 research, publishes books and monographs, and sponsors workshops and symposia.

Our theme this year, The Future of Command... Control... points us in the right direction-to consider new possibilities, particularly those outside of our comfort zones.

We should, however, take a moment to reflect upon the increased level of interest, understanding, and broadening of our community. Over the past years, we have seen an increase in interoperability, not only technical interoperability, but interoperability in the information, cognitive, and social domains. We have seen both a need for, and an increased interest in, the co-evolution of mission capability packages, requiring that we include a greater variety of people and organizations in our conversations.

In addition, we see a need for, and hence have an increased interest in, civil-military operations that greatly extend the set of mission participants so that interoperability is no longer a simple Joint problem, but a coalition problem, including government agencies, private volunteer organizations, and a variety of nongovernmental organizations.

QUESTION: Can someone explain scope of the C2 program relative to the interoperability in the in the information, cognitive, and social domains. Does this research include war propaganda and thought manipulation?

USA WELCOME: Make Yourself Known @BooMan Tribune and add some cheers!

by Oui on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 01:32:23 PM EST

Re: DoD Command and Control (none / 1)

you have a great query there. warrants looking into and learning more about. Thanks for the link...very interesting to say the least....

can we or are we willing to be manipulated or controlled?

by BrendaStewart (stormyweather1@hotmail.com) on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 03:28:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not surprising (none / 0)

that the wonderful military can do a tad of censorship when they are completely capable of torture, war crimes, collective punishment, murder etc all with impunity.

by observer393 on Sun Jul 10th, 2005 at 11:54:08 PM EST

Mind Control: Military Blocks Juan Cole's Site | 23 comments (23 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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