msnbc.com
updated 33 minutes ago
updated 33 minutes ago
The U.S. army reportedly deployed a
specialized "psychological operations" team in
2009 to help convince American legislators to
boost funding and troop numbers for the war
in Afghanistan.
Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general
in charge of training Afghan troops, ordered
the operation, Rolling Stone Magazine reported
in a story published late on Wednesday.
An officer in charge of the unit objected when
he was ordered to pressure the visiting
senators and was harshly reprimanded by
superiors, according to the magazine.
"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," the officer, Lt. Colonel
Michael Holmes, told Rolling Stone.
specialized "psychological operations" team in
2009 to help convince American legislators to
boost funding and troop numbers for the war
in Afghanistan.
Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general
in charge of training Afghan troops, ordered
the operation, Rolling Stone Magazine reported
in a story published late on Wednesday.
An officer in charge of the unit objected when
he was ordered to pressure the visiting
senators and was harshly reprimanded by
superiors, according to the magazine.
"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," the officer, Lt. Colonel
Michael Holmes, told Rolling Stone.
"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," he added.
Gen. David Petraeus has called for an
investigation into charges, NBC News
reported.
On the msnbc's "Morning Joe" program
Thursday, NBC News Senior Pentagon
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski reported
that officials both in Washington and
Afghanistan had been "scrambling" to come up
with a response to the allegations.
Miklaszewski also pointed out that using such
tactics on U.S. citizens is against regulations
and not to be done under any circumstances.
Among those targeted were senators John
McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken
and Carl Levin, as well as Representative Steve
Israel of the House Appropriations Committee,
people. When you ask me to try to use these
skills on senators and congressman, you're
crossing a line," he added.
Gen. David Petraeus has called for an
investigation into charges, NBC News
reported.
On the msnbc's "Morning Joe" program
Thursday, NBC News Senior Pentagon
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski reported
that officials both in Washington and
Afghanistan had been "scrambling" to come up
with a response to the allegations.
Miklaszewski also pointed out that using such
tactics on U.S. citizens is against regulations
and not to be done under any circumstances.
Among those targeted were senators John
McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken
and Carl Levin, as well as Representative Steve
Israel of the House Appropriations Committee,
msnbc.com
updated 33 minutes ago
updated 33 minutes ago
The U.S. army reportedly deployed a
specialized "psychological operations" team in
2009 to help convince American legislators to
boost funding and troop numbers for the war
in Afghanistan.
Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general
in charge of training Afghan troops, ordered
the operation, Rolling Stone Magazine reported
in a story published late on Wednesday.
An officer in charge of the unit objected when
he was ordered to pressure the visiting
senators and was harshly reprimanded by
superiors, according to the magazine.
"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," the officer, Lt. Colonel
Michael Holmes, told Rolling Stone.
specialized "psychological operations" team in
2009 to help convince American legislators to
boost funding and troop numbers for the war
in Afghanistan.
Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, a three-star general
in charge of training Afghan troops, ordered
the operation, Rolling Stone Magazine reported
in a story published late on Wednesday.
An officer in charge of the unit objected when
he was ordered to pressure the visiting
senators and was harshly reprimanded by
superiors, according to the magazine.
"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," the officer, Lt. Colonel
Michael Holmes, told Rolling Stone.
"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," he added.
Gen. David Petraeus has called for an
investigation into charges, NBC News
reported.
On the msnbc's "Morning Joe" program
Thursday, NBC News Senior Pentagon
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski reported
that officials both in Washington and
Afghanistan had been "scrambling" to come up
with a response to the allegations.
Miklaszewski also pointed out that using such
tactics on U.S. citizens is against regulations
and not to be done under any circumstances.
Among those targeted were senators John
McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken
and Carl Levin, as well as Representative Steve
Israel of the House Appropriations Committee,
people. When you ask me to try to use these
skills on senators and congressman, you're
crossing a line," he added.
Gen. David Petraeus has called for an
investigation into charges, NBC News
reported.
On the msnbc's "Morning Joe" program
Thursday, NBC News Senior Pentagon
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski reported
that officials both in Washington and
Afghanistan had been "scrambling" to come up
with a response to the allegations.
Miklaszewski also pointed out that using such
tactics on U.S. citizens is against regulations
and not to be done under any circumstances.
Among those targeted were senators John
McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken
and Carl Levin, as well as Representative Steve
Israel of the House Appropriations Committee,
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Lt. Gen. William Caldwell ordered a specialized "psychological operations" team to manipulate dignitaries visiting Afghanistan and convince them to boost funding and troop numbers, Rolling Stone reports.
Report: Army targeted U.S. senators with psy-ops
General sought to manipulate VIPs in order to elicit more funding, troops, according to Rolling Stone article
General sought to manipulate VIPs in order to elicit more funding, troops, according to Rolling Stone article
t
Lt. Gen. William Caldwell ordered a specialized "psychological operations" team to manipulate dignitaries visiting Afghanistan and convince them to boost funding and troop numbers, Rolling Stone reports.
Report: Army targeted U.S. senators with psy-ops
General sought to manipulate VIPs in order to elicit more funding, troops, according to Rolling Stone article
General sought to manipulate VIPs in order to elicit more funding, troops, according to Rolling Stone article
the report said. The team also allegedly
targeted Admiral Mike Mullen of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
Levin pointed out Thursday that he has long
been in favor of building up Afghan forces.
"For years, I have strongly and repeatedly
advocated for building up Afghan military
capability because I believe only the Afghans
can truly secure their nation's future," Levin
said in a statement. "I have never needed any
convincing on this point. Quite the opposite,
my efforts have been aimed at convincing
others of the need for larger, more capable
Afghan security forces, and that we and NATO
should send more trainers to Afghanistan,
rather than more combat troops."
'Very serious and disturbing'One of the lawmakers, Sen. Reed, told msnbc's
Chris Jansing that he found the accusations
"very serious and disturbing" and said the
Pentagon should investigate, and if warranted,
punish those involved.
The Rhode Island Democrat, who is a senior
member of the Senate Armed Services
Committee and a former U.S. Army Ranger,
said he's been to Afghanistan 11 times and
has tried to get a "broad view" of the situation
on the ground by seeking out many different
sources.
He said he never detected anything unusual
when speaking to military personnel, but
stressed that he weighs carefully what
everyone has told him and doesn't put too
much stock into any one individual.
According to Holmes, he and his four-man
team arrived in Afghanistan at the end of 2009
in order to determine the effects of American
propaganda on Afghans and the Taliban, the magazine reported. Soon, though, Caldwell ordered the unit to gather profiles of visiting dignitaries, including their likes and dislikes and "hot-button issues," the magazine reported.
Holmes was asked how the general could secretly manipulate the lawmakers, Rolling Stone said.
"How do we get these guys to give us more people?" Caldwell asked, according to the magazine. "What do I have to plant inside their heads?"
U.S. law bars the military from using psy-ops on Americans, and every defense authorization bill explicitly prohibits the manipulation, the magazine reported.
"Everyone in the psy-ops, intel ... knows you're not supposed to target Americans," a veteran member of similar team told Rolling Stone. "It's what you learn on da
targeted Admiral Mike Mullen of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
Levin pointed out Thursday that he has long
been in favor of building up Afghan forces.
"For years, I have strongly and repeatedly
advocated for building up Afghan military
capability because I believe only the Afghans
can truly secure their nation's future," Levin
said in a statement. "I have never needed any
convincing on this point. Quite the opposite,
my efforts have been aimed at convincing
others of the need for larger, more capable
Afghan security forces, and that we and NATO
should send more trainers to Afghanistan,
rather than more combat troops."
'Very serious and disturbing'One of the lawmakers, Sen. Reed, told msnbc's
Chris Jansing that he found the accusations
"very serious and disturbing" and said the
Pentagon should investigate, and if warranted,
punish those involved.
The Rhode Island Democrat, who is a senior
member of the Senate Armed Services
Committee and a former U.S. Army Ranger,
said he's been to Afghanistan 11 times and
has tried to get a "broad view" of the situation
on the ground by seeking out many different
sources.
He said he never detected anything unusual
when speaking to military personnel, but
stressed that he weighs carefully what
everyone has told him and doesn't put too
much stock into any one individual.
According to Holmes, he and his four-man
team arrived in Afghanistan at the end of 2009
in order to determine the effects of American
propaganda on Afghans and the Taliban, the magazine reported. Soon, though, Caldwell ordered the unit to gather profiles of visiting dignitaries, including their likes and dislikes and "hot-button issues," the magazine reported.
Holmes was asked how the general could secretly manipulate the lawmakers, Rolling Stone said.
"How do we get these guys to give us more people?" Caldwell asked, according to the magazine. "What do I have to plant inside their heads?"
U.S. law bars the military from using psy-ops on Americans, and every defense authorization bill explicitly prohibits the manipulation, the magazine reported.
"Everyone in the psy-ops, intel ... knows you're not supposed to target Americans," a veteran member of similar team told Rolling Stone. "It's what you learn on da
magazine reported.
Soon, though, Caldwell ordered the unit to
gather profiles of visiting dignitaries, including
their likes and dislikes and "hot-button
issues," the magazine reported.
Holmes was asked how the general could
secretly manipulate the lawmakers, Rolling
Stone said.
"How do we get these guys to give us more
people?" Caldwell asked, according to the
magazine. "What do I have to plant inside their
heads?"
U.S. law bars the military from using psy-ops
on Americans, and every defense
authorization bill explicitly prohibits the
manipulation, the magazine reported.
"Everyone in the psy-ops, intel ... knows
you're not supposed to target Americans," a
veteran member of similar team told Rolling
Stone. "It's what you learn on day one."
Soon, though, Caldwell ordered the unit to
gather profiles of visiting dignitaries, including
their likes and dislikes and "hot-button
issues," the magazine reported.
Holmes was asked how the general could
secretly manipulate the lawmakers, Rolling
Stone said.
"How do we get these guys to give us more
people?" Caldwell asked, according to the
magazine. "What do I have to plant inside their
heads?"
U.S. law bars the military from using psy-ops
on Americans, and every defense
authorization bill explicitly prohibits the
manipulation, the magazine reported.
"Everyone in the psy-ops, intel ... knows
you're not supposed to target Americans," a
veteran member of similar team told Rolling
Stone. "It's what you learn on day one."
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