Agitprop: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Propaganda

Whoever Did This Must Really Hate Coffee

Here's another case of sexually repressed, paternalistic reactionaries using violence to further politico-moralistic objectives. Presumably.

Arson levels topless shop

I say "presumably" because we don't know who did this yet or what their motives were. Nor do we know if they were aware of the seven people living in the building, thus indicating attempted murder in addition to arson. We do know that the topless coffee shop had stirred up controversy in the sleepy Maine town of Vassalboro, and that the arson occurred just hours after the shop owner met with town planners on "to extend[ing] the shop's hours of operation to 1 a.m., expand[ing] the parking lot for employees and hav[ing] its wait staff dancing to the music of a disc jockey."

I'm with IOZ in the conviction that "terrorism" has become nothing but a propaganda term of art, unhelpful in discourse without first carefully defining one's terms. However, in keeping with the Agitprop mission, as well as my own mantra, "question everything," riddle me this: can this be called terrorism?

Sabotage and destruction of property earn the label in cases of "eco-terrorism," so it would seem the simple act of arson, combined with the presumed politico-moral motives, might make this a case of, I don't know, "porno-terrorism?"

On the other hand, if the arsonist had knowledge of the building's human occupants, and this was not only arson, but attempted murder, it might fall into a category not unlike pro-lifers murdering doctors which apparently doesn't merit the terrorism label.

Wait, isn't that backwards?

No. Let us consider the purpose of the propaganda:

1. We must be perpetually aware of the constant looming threat of danger. Domestic terrorism! O, NOES!!!!11!!
2. We must also be perpetually grateful for our rulers' vigilant protection. They have kept us safe. There have been no successful terrorist strikes against The Homeland since 9-11.

The Understander

The Dear Leader has been roundly and rightly mocked for his "I am the Decider" speech.  Here at Agitprop, we've heard something else in his speechifications:

"I understood European concerns over the US detention camp in Cuba."  Vienna, Austria, June 21, 2006

"I understand there's a suspicion that we—we're too security-conscience."  Washington D.C., April 14, 2005

"I understand everybody in this country doesn't agree with the decisions I've made."  presidential debate, Sept. 30, 2004

"I also understand how tender the free enterprise system can be."  press conference, Washington, D.C., July 9, 2002

"I understand that the unrest in the Middle East creates unrest throughout the region."  Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002

"Presidents, whether things are good or bad, get the blame. I understand that."  Washington, D.C., May 11, 2001

"I understand there's a lot of discussion about labor codicils and environmental codicils."  with Vicente Fox, Quebec, Canada, April 21, 2001

"This case has had full analyzation and has been looked at a lot. I understand the emotionality of death penalty cases."  Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 23, 2000

"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read—I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do."  on abortion, Hardball, MSNBC; May 31, 2000

Now do you understand how totally screwed we are?

tags: bush impeach bush war on terror terrorism 9/11

Cartoon Wars

Someone draws cartoons poking fun at Muhammad. Someone else draws cartoons showing Hitler in bed with Anne Frank. The Iranians are even having a contest! And now, the FY 2007 proposed budget turns out to be the federal equivalent of the funny papers - even the Repugs hate it.

But let's not forget who's the biggest cartoon of all!

cartoon: Ann Telnaes
tags: george bush ann telnaes impeach bush muhammad cartoons cartoon riots

Torture? What Torture?

It's Not the al Jazeera Memo
But It's Not Bad!

BlairWatch asks, we publish! Here are a couple documents The Poodle doesn't want you to read. Of course we don't torture! (says Tony).

Background:

The UK government has been quick to deny that we practice, or tolerate the practice of Torture. So it is perhaps not suprising that they are determined that you should not see the following documents:
http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/craig/telegrams.pdf
http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/craig/npaper.jpg

Craig Murray was the UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, until his complaints and protest at the use of intelligence gained by torture got too much for Jack Straw and the Foreign Office, who set about attempting to unsuccessfully smear him, and to successfully remove him from office.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3750370.stm
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2005/04/timeline_of_cra.html

The Foreign Office has had the draft of Craig's book for clearance for over 3 months now, and they are doing everything they can to try and prevent him from publishing his side of the story. Their latest attempt to cover their own backs was to inform him, the night before Christmas Eve, that these two documents cannot be published, and that he was to return or destroy all copies immediately.

Read more here.

tags: tony blair craig murray al jazeera memo torture uzbekistan

Pat Catapults the Propaganda

"Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play." Joseph Goebbels

At Agitprop, we earlier reported on the Iraqi newspaper fake-news-story story here and here. In the spirit of Joseph Goebbels, perennial presidential candidate and right-wing "personality" Pat Buchanan insists that "our guys" in Iraq "have got every right to have good news [put into Iraqi newspapers] ... even if it's got to be planted or bought."

He and Armstrong Williams should get together. Or maybe Pat can pick up a gig at The Lincoln Group.

tags: pat buchanan lincoln group fake iraq news stories iraq war on terror

Start Fabricating Your Résumé Now!

Can You Write Convincing Fiction?
The Lincoln Group Wants You!

We reported earlier in the week that the U.S. military was planting fake news stories in Iraqi newspapers. Now it turns out that the Lincoln Group, the "defense contractor" that planted the stories for the military, is hiring! Check it out:

Lincoln Group is seeking an experienced Project Director to manage a variety of Information Operations and Communications Campaigns which will target foreign audiences in support of Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The work would be based primarily in the company's offices in Washington DC, with some travel to Florida and worldwide locations. Required: Experience planning and managing complex media campaigns to foreign audiences [snip] Experience in emerging, fast-growth environments in conflict zones [snip] Know how of Human Resource Planning and Training (including working with expatriate personnel and local nationals) Current Secret Clearance [snip] Additional information will be provided to short-listed candidates after execution of a non-disclosure agreement. Desirable: [snip]Experience managing projects in hostile or semi-permissive environments. A network of, or ability to develop, corporate PR, communications, and public outreach capabilities with foreign business, tribal, and political leaders; media outlets; opinion leaders and decision makers. Compensation: Salary: $80-120K base plus bonus and profit sharing. Stock Options. Benefits including medical and dental coverage.

Love that bit about "targeting foreign audiences." hat tips: enigma for sending ad; Neil Shakespeare for graphic (Freedom Through White Phosphorous).

tags: lincoln group fake iraq news stories iraq war on terror impeach bush

Paging Mr. Orwell!

Rummy Pays Iraqi Papers to Print Positive Stories
Shows Iraqis What Real American-Style Democracy is Like!

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, we reported that Bu$hCo paid radio "personality" Armstrong Williams about 200 grand to shill for its "No Child Left Behind" [sic] program. Now, we find the U.S. military is doing the same thing. Positive newspaper articles written by "information operations troops," are "translated into Arabic and placed in Baghdad newspapers with the help of a defense contractor, according to U.S. military officials and documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times."

And you thought the military was only for fighting wars (as opposed to that "War of Ideas" in which the College Repugs are endlessly engaged). Let it never be said that the Dear Leader doesn't take every opportunity to win hearts and minds, no matter where they are.

hat tip graphic: Agi T. Prop
tags: U.S. military iraq war on terror impeach bush lincoln group

We're Going to Have a Strategy!

A Strategy ... we have a Strategy!

Now we know how the Dear Leader is going to bring home the troops! Saddamists, Rejectionists, and Terrists BEWARE! Click here to read the strategy! Basically, we're staying until the job is done ... Bushie won't cut and run! Take that Jack Murtha! And remember, "victory" is defined as when the Iraqis "take the lead" in defeating them nasty terrists.

Or is that a "strategery"?

tags: iraq war on terror george bush

Bu$hCo Gives Top Value for your Intelligence Dollar!

Bush Shitcanned the August 6, 2001 PDB
So Why Not the Iraq Intel Too!

In a post From the Circular File, the King of Zembla has an excellent discussion of Bu$hco's attitude towards intelligence. The intel about Iraq's WMD and it's al Qaeda connections wasn't "distorted, hyped, or fabricated" ... because it showed there were no WMDs or al Qaeda connection, it was simply tossed down the old memory hole. The King quotes Murray Waas:

Ten days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President Bush was told in a highly classified briefing that the U.S. intelligence community had no evidence linking the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein to the attacks and that there was scant credible evidence that Iraq had any significant collaborative ties with Al Qaeda, according to government records and current and former officials with firsthand knowledge of the matter.

We misquote Calvin Trillin and Pete Seeger: They lie, they simply falsify! And give us such good value for our intelligence dollar.

tags: iraq war on terror george bush dick cheney al qaeda

From the Department of Delusion

Dear Leader Says Progress in Iraq Is "Amazing"
Also Commends Brownie Again for Heckuva' Job

Dear Leader to South Koreans: "As a matter of fact, I know relations between our governments is good."

So is they?

A similarly delusional Dear Vice Leader Cheney labeled as dishonest and reprehensible "the suggestion by some U. S. senators that the President of the United States or any member of his administration purposely misled the American people on pre- war intelligence."

So Dick, they "accidentally misled?" "Oops, we were having a few beers, and suddenly there we were in Iraq!"

hat tip (graphic): Commandante Agi. T. Prop
tags: iraq war on terror impeach bush george bush south korea dick cheney

Have You Ever Seen a Commie Drink a Glass of Water?

Wingnut 101
When You Can't Win On the New Issues
Re-debate the Old Issues

Believe it or not, the voters of Bellingham, Washington are about to reject a measure that would add fluoride to their drinking water. Hasn't this already been decided? Isn't this issue, like, so 20th century?

Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous Communist plot we have ever had to face? ... Do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water - why, there are studies under way to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk, ice cream? Ice cream, Mandrake! - children's ice cream! ... Do you know when fluoridation first began? ... Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? ... It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual - certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works.

Well, obviously we can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

tags: bellingham washington right wing jack ripper fluoride dr. strangelove

Down the Ol' Memory Hole

Bu$hCo Atttempts to Rewrite Video
Cautions Press on Remaining Members of Reality-Based Community

[via Think Progress/Wonkette] Agitprop can't even be snarky about this it's so blatant, so it's presented sans commentary:
That’s Not Accurate: White House Alters Transcript of Press Briefing There is a brewing controversy about what exactly was said at the White House press conference on October 31. Everyone agrees NBC’s David Gregory said this:

Q. Whether there’s a question of legality, we know for a fact that there was involvement. We know that Karl Rove, based on what he and his lawyer have said, did have a conversation about somebody who Patrick Fitzgerald said was a covert officer of the Central Intelligence Agency. We know that Scooter Libby also had conversations.

Congressional Quarterly and FNS both transcribed Press Secretary Scott McClellan’s answer as “That’s accurate.” The White House transcript lists McClellan’s answer as “I don’t think that’s accurate.”

We’ve isolated the clip so you can judge for yourself: Watch in QuickTime streaming. If you listened to the clip, it’s clear McClellan says “that’s accurate.” Nevertheless, the White House is trying to get CQ and FNS to change their transcripts. They’ve refused. [emphasis supplied.]

tags: scott mcclellan impeach bush abu ghraib plamegate

Orwell Was a Few Years Off

War is Peace
Ignorance is Strength
Torture is Not Torture

From the wisdom of the Dear Leader: We do not torture! Ignore that man behind the curtain! Dear Vice Leader Cheney says we need torture, but that's only so we can scare the terrorists ... we don't torture.

tags: george bush george orwell iraq war on terror impeach bush 1984

Rush to Base: Religious Right United on Miers!

Religious Right to Rush: Not So Fast Fat Boy!

Rush says all of Jesus's troops have rallied around the Dear Leader's Miers high court nomination, but that's not quite the case, according to Media Matters. Quite a few little Christian Soldiers have refused to obey the Dear Leader on this one, including such shining lights as the atavistic little Gary Bauer and Operation Rescue [sic]. Even Obersturmführer Dr. Ing. Prof. Wilhelm Bennett thinks the nomination should be aborted.

The right in turmoil ... whatever shall the Dear Leader do?

In a related story, Media Matters points out that Rush is the only political commentator on Armed Forces Radio. Do something about it - hit MM's site and find out more.

tags: rush limbaugh harriet miers bill bennett gary bauer operation rescue armed forces radio

Reichsminister für Propaganda Rove Circles Drain

BREAKING NEWS: Rove Spent FOUR AND ONE-HALF HOURS in Front of Grand Jury!
Giant Sucking Sound Heard On Pennsylvania Ave.

UPDATE: Rove to Testify Today!
Nervous Neocons Furiously Shovel Coal Into Bush Spin Machine

Reichsminister für Propaganda Rove hasn't gotten a target letter yet, but he sure is running up and down the courthouse steps a lot. Thanks to Think Progress.

Could Fitzgerald take out both Obergruppenführer Scooter Libby and Rove?

UPDATE: Left Coast correspondent HelenWheels explains how NeoCon and other liars' brains are different. Birmingham Blues has today's story.

scooter libby impeach bush karl rove

Propaganda Minister Scotty Denies Scripted Teleconference Scripted

NPR had audio (!) on All Things Considered of the preparation for a highly-scripted teleconference that the Dear Leader had with 10 soldiers in Tikrit. The DL wanted to show us how wonderful things are just before the referendum this weekend. One of the president's minions went so far as to play the part of the Dear Leader for the practice Q&A. Scotty "Goebbels" McClellan subsequently told the press that the event wasn't choreographed nor was it "staged." When cornered, Scotty suggested the reporters contact DOD.

Who ya' gonna' believe ... me, or your own two eyes? Groucho Marx

The Defeatists have a somewhat different take.

UPDATE: Do you believe it? Moonbat Malkin says no way it was scripted! Shakespeare's Sister says: "Was so!"

tags: iraq war on terror impeach bush scott mcclellan

Hannity to U.S. - Have You Heard the Good News?

Sturmscharführer Sean Hannity declares War on Terror over! al Qaeda decimated, down to 30% of prior terrorist levels! New recruits, new Iraq terrorist training ground, other extremist groups apparently not a problem!

Hat tip for graphic to HelenWheels (from an original Agitprop design).
tags: war on terror sean hannity

Reichsminister Rove Uses Dobson to Signal Base

Dobson to Wingnuttia (wink wink, nudge nudge):
"Of COURSE She'll Vote Against Abortion Rights!"

Reichsminister für Propaganda Karl Rove has used hatemonger Rev. James Dobson to signal the Dear Leader's base on the Miers high-court nomination. Dobson said that Rove told him "that she is from a very conservative church, which is almost universally pro-life."

So how does the Senate question Miers on this little tidbit? "Do you agree with your church's abortion stance?" Nope, she'll say the church has no formal stance. "Do you know what Rove told Dobson?" Sure. As the Roberts hearings showed, a Senator can't just come out and ask her, because the issue might come before the court. And Bush said today religion was his litmus test, and she passed it. Right wingnuts, consider yourselves signalled.
tags: religious right karl rove james dobson impeach bush

Agitprop guest blogs on this topic over at Tattered Coat.

BU$HCO - Now With 0.0023% Less Covert Propaganda

Some mornings, on my way to my regular SoHo coffee and beer haunt, I pick up the New York Times - just for grins. Imagine my surprise when I saw the following above the fold on the the front page of this morning's NYT:

BUYING OF NEWS BY BUSH'S AIDES IS RULED ILLEGAL

The GAO, nobody's fool, concluded that Bu$hCo had distributed "covert propaganda" in violation of a statutory ban. This involved the "No [Rich] Child Left Behind Act," ably promoted by Armstrong Williams. The GAO "declared:"

We see no use for such information except for partisan political purposes. Engaging in a purely political activity such as this is not a proper use of appropriated funds.

Also alarming is the fact that the GAO "could not confirm that Mr. Williams had performed all the activities for which he billed the government."

Now I don't know about you, but if Bu$hCo is going to pay right-wing hacks to "catapult the propaganda," I want full value for my tax dollar.

Ketchum, Inc. is the name of the PR company that the Dept. of Education told to pay Armstrong Williams. Here's the contact page for the D.C. office, presumably the offender. Here's a link with information on the Ketchum/Williams scandal.

You know what we have to do. We must convince Williams and Ketchum to return this money or deliver FULL VALUE. Write letters. Send email. Fax them. Get on Williams's message board. Demand that Williams return the money (or donate it to the DNC) or that he finish the work he contracted to do and pull the wool completely over your eyes. Let BushCo's catapult soar.

UPDATE: As the Daily Pepper points out, blatant propaganda is never good for you.

tags: armstrong williams freedom march bush impeach bush