Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 02:48, 18 July 2006

It has been suggested that this article be merged into Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. (Discuss)

The Zarqawi PSYOP program refers to a US Psychological operations program, or propaganda campaign, implemented as part of the War on Terror, exaggerating the importance of Al Zarqawi in Al Qaeda and the Iraq insurgency.

The program was primarily aimed at, but not limited to, the "Iraqi and Arab media" along with the "U.S. Home Audience," which was part of a "broader propaganda campaign." The article goes on to explain: That slide, created by Casey's subordinates, does not specifically state that U.S. citizens were being targeted by the effort, but other sections of the briefings indicate that there were direct military efforts to use the U.S. media to affect views of the war. Such efforts include selective leaking of factual information to reporters.

One of the goals was to set up local citizens against him by portraying him as a foreigner and key actor in the insurgency. However, Sidney Blumenthal reported that, according to a "military source," this campaign ultimately revolved around "domestic political reasons."

Rise to power

Prior to the involvement of Zarqawi in the Iraqi insurgency, he was jailed in Jordan for attempting to overthrow the government. He was arrested while in possession of explosives and given a 5 year sentence. Upon release from the Jordanian prison in 1999, Zarqawi's involvement in an attempt to blow up the Radisson SAS hotel in Jordan was exposed and he fled the country. According to court testimony by Zarqwai followers he was able to secure funds from al-Qaeda to setup a training camp near Herat.

Several incidents turned him from an unknown and unimportant individual into the well-known voice of Al Qaeda in Iraq. Following the allegation he was a link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda (used as casus belli), by Colin Powell before the UN Security Council in 2003, he became the embodiment of resistance against the US in the Muslim world. Another stimulus for his popularity was the invasion of Iraq by the Bush administration. After the capture of Saddam Hussein the Bush administration accused him of being behind the continuing mishaps in Iraq, or, as Patrick Cockburn commented in an editorial for Counterpunch Newsletter:

"No sooner had Saddam Hussein been captured than the US spokesmen began to mention al-Zarqawi's name in every sentence."

In the wake of his assasination, which had erroneously been reported several times before, the US produced a video showing him to be the opposite of what the media previously advocated him to be. Michel Chossudovsky from the Centre for Research on Globalization made this observation:

The video portrays "Terror Mastermind" Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi acting in a "foolish" and "incompetent" fashion.

The article suggests that this might also be part of "successful propaganda." It continues with:

What is rarely mentioned is that this outside enemy Al Qaeda is a CIA "intelligence asset", used in covert operations.

Quotes

The Washington post cites Col. Derek Harvey who said at a meeting by the Army in Fort Leavenworth:

"Our own focus on Zarqawi has enlarged his caricature, if you will - made him more important than he really is, in some ways."

Citing an internal memo by Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the senior commander in charge, the Washington Post states:

"The Zarqawi PSYOP program is the most successful information campaign to date."

According to the same article:

A goal of the campaign was to drive a wedge into the insurgency by emphasizing Zarqawi's terrorist acts and foreign origin, said officers familiar with the program.

Michel Chossudovsky in an editorial for the Centre for Research on Globalization commented:

The internal military documents leaked to Washington Post confirm that the Pentagon is involved in an ongoing propaganda campaign which seeks to provide a face to the enemy. The purpose is to portray the enemy as a terrorist, to mislead public opinion.

and another quote states:

"Without Zarqawi and bin Laden, the "war on terrorism" would loose its raison d'être. The main casus belli is to wage a " war on terrorism."

See also

• Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
• Doublespeak
• Iraq war
• Newspeak
• Propaganda
• Psychological operations (United States)
• Psychological warfare
• PSYOP

References

1. ^ Military Plays Up Role of Zarqawi By Thomas E. Ricks, The Washington Post, 10 April 2006
2. ^ "Mission Accomplished" in a business suit Ignoring U.S. intelligence, Bush inflated Zarqawi, then made a pointless trip to Iraq to pose as a heroic dragon slayer. It doesn't work anymore, By Sidney Blumenthal, Salon, June 15, 2006
3. Was There a Legal Basis for His Assassination? The Story Behind Zarqawi's Death by Jennifer van Bergen, CounterPunch, June 12, 2006
4. Who was Abu Musab al Zarqawi? by Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, June 09, 2006,
5. ^ America Put Him in the Big Time The Short, Strange Career of Abu Masab al-Zarqawi, Patrick Cockburn, Counterpunch, June 9, 2006
6. ^ Who is behind "Al Qaeda in Iraq"? Pentagon acknowledges fabricating a "Zarqawi Legend" by Michel Chossudovsky, GlobalResearch, April 18, 2006
7. ^ Hyping Zarqawi by Tim Dickinson, Rolling Stone, April 11, 2006
8. Updated: Anatomy of a Lie: The Zarqawi Psy-Ops, and an opportune death by DelicateMonster, Daily Kos, June 10, 2006
9. "Al-Zarqawi's Biography". Washington Post. June 8, 2006. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
10. The Myth of Al Qaeda Before 9/11, Osama bin Laden’s group was small and fractious. How Washington helped to build it into a global threat By Michael Hirsh, Newsweek, June 30, 2006
11. ^ Pentagon PSYOP: "Terror Mastermind" Abu Musab Al Zarqawi is "Incompetent" by Michel Chossudovsky, GlobalResearch, May 15, 2006
12. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi: Dead Again By Kurt Nimmo, Kurtnimmo.com, June 8, 2006

• Psychological warfare
• Propaganda
• Counter-terrorism
• Anti-terrorism policy of the United States
• George W. Bush administration controversies
• 2003 Iraq conflict
• Iraqi insurgency