Matt Novak, gizmodo.com; see below for additional links.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee today about Russian involvement in the 2016 Presidential election (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
During the Cold War, the United States fought a war of information (and disinformation) against Communism. The lead agency of that war was the United States Information Agency (USIA), the propaganda arm of the US government, which was dissolved in 1999. But now James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, says we need that group again. Actually, he just told Congress that we need a “USIA on steroids.”
“This is strictly personal opinion, not company policy, but I do think that we could do with having a USIA on steroids,” Clapper told the Senate Armed Services committee. “The United States Information Agency [is needed] to fight this information war a lot more aggressively than we’re doing right now.”
Clapper’s testimony to the committee today comes on the heels of a classified intelligence briefing given to President Obama about Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election. The US Intelligence Community has come out to say that not only was Russia involved in the hacking of government emails and the leaks of those emails to Wikileaks, but that Russia had many different motives for doing so. Donald Trump has flatly denied that Russia was involved, without citing his own evidence.
“The Russians have a long history of interfering in elections—theirs and other peoples,” Clapper told Congress, citing Cold War disinformation campaigns of the 1960s and the alleged funding provided to American candidates that the Soviets supported during that era.
“I don’t think we’ve ever encountered a more aggressive or direct campaign to interfere in our election process than we’ve seen in this case,” Clapper said.
When asked about fake news sites, Clapper said that Russia was definitely involved in distributing disinformation to influence the American election.
“Without getting too far in front of the headlights of our rollout next week to the Congress, this was a multifaceted campaign,” Clapper said. “The hacking was one part of it, but it also entailed classical propaganda, disinformation, fake news.”
“Does that continue?” Senator Jake Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island asked.
“Yes,” Clapper responded.
On Monday, Clapper and the CIA will be releasing a public version of the classified report they gave Obama and select members of Congress today.
So why would Russia want to try to influence the American presidential election? According to Clapper, it’s all about establishing a military presence in the Western Hemisphere that Russia has never enjoyed before.
“The Russians are bent on establishing both a presence in the Western Hemisphere and they’re looking for opportunities to expand military cooperation, sell equipment, air bases, as well as intelligence gathering facilities,” Clapper said. “So it’s just another extension of their aggressiveness in expanding those interests.”
Clapper didn’t elaborate on what a “USIA on steroids” might look like, nor whether it would spread disinformation around the world, as it sometimes did during the Cold War. But perhaps disinformation is in the eye of the beholder.
As head of the USIA, legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow said in 1962, “I don’t mind being called a propagandist, so long as that propaganda is based on the truth.”
***
Additional links re Clapper and "USIA on steriods" (from Google Search, 1/5/2017, 2:40 pm):
James Clapper calls for U.S. Information Agency 'on steroids' to ...
www.washingtontimes.com/.../james-clapper-calls-us-information-agenc...
1 hour ago - Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testifies on Capitol Hill in ... “We could do with having a USIA on steroids to fight this information ...James Clapper Says That America Needs a New ... - Gizmodo
gizmodo.com/james-clapper-says-that-america-needs-a-new-propaganda...
2 hours ago - But now James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, says we need ... Actually, he just told Congress that we need a “USIA on steroids.”James Clapper Says That America Needs A New ... - Gizmodo Australia
www.gizmodo.com.au/.../james-clapper-says-that-america-needs-a-new-pro...
1 hour ago - "This is strictly personal opinion, not company policy, but I do think that we could do with having a USIA on steroids," Clapper told the Senate ...Clapper: RT reporting on US problems part of 'multifaceted ... - RT.com
https://www.rt.com/usa/372748-senate-committee-russian-hacking/
3 hours ago - “We could do with having a USIA on steroids to fight this information war a lot more aggressively than we're doing right now,” Clapper later said, ...James Clapper Says That America Needs a New ... - newsvibez
www.newsvibez.com/james-clapper-says-that-america-needs-a-new-prop...
2 hours ago - “This is strictly personal opinion, not company policy, but I do think that we could do with having a USIA on steroids,” Clapper told the Senate ...Top U.S. intelligence official: Russia meddled in 2016 election through ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/.../36a60b42-d34c-11e6-9cb0-54ab6308...
3 hours ago - Clapper also called for a more aggressive counter-propaganda effort. “We could do with having a USIA on steroids,” he said, referring to the ...Clapper: RT Reporting On US Problems Part Of ... - Jackpine Radicals
https://jackpineradicals.com/.../clapper-rt-reporting-on-us-problems-part-...
11 hours ago - 6 posts - 5 authors
“We could do with having a USIA on steroids to fight this information war a lot more aggressively than we're doing right now,” Clapper later said, ...US spy chief, countering Trump, 'resolute' in belief that Russia hacked ...
https://www.adn.com/.../trumps-criticism-of-intelligence-on-russia-hacki...
1 hour ago - Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr. testifies before a ... "We could do with having a USIA on steroids," he said, referring to the ...James Clapper calls for U.S. Information Agency 'on steroids' to ...
konservativekartel.com/james-clapper-calls-for-u-s-information-agency-...
23 mins ago - James Clapper calls for U.S. Information Agency 'on steroids' to ... “We could do with having a USIA on steroids to fight this information war ...James clapper calls for u.s. information agency 'on steroids' to counter ...
www.scoopnest.com/user/WashTimes/817072441310793728
29 minutes. James Clapper calls for U.S. Information Agency 'on steroids' to counter Russian propaganda https://t.co/BmgtpQu2w4 #Clapper #Russia #USIAPwn All The Things (@pwnallthethings) | Twitter
https://twitter.com/pwnallthethings?lang=en
DNI Clapper just called for a "USIA on steroids" to counter Russian ... Clapper: When we're cyberattacked "our automatic default policy position should not be ...John Schindler (@20committee) | Twitter
https://twitter.com/20committee
Ellen Nakashima @nakashimae. DNI Clapper just called for a "USIA on steroids" to counter Russian propaganda and fake news. 12 replies 28 retweets 61 likes.Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) | Twitter
https://twitter.com/juliaioffe
#DNIClapper calls for "a USIA [US Information Agency] on steroids." 3 replies 10 ... #DNIClapper says Obama's new Russia sanctions justified. 2 replies 12 ...Reuters U.S. News (@ReutersUS) | Twitter
https://twitter.com/reutersus?lang=en
... 2h2 hours ago. LIVE: 'We could do with a USIA on steroids' - Clapper on fighting the information war. http://reut.rs/2iUj8Ow pic.twitter.com/go14R7IkPL ...Steven Metz (@steven_metz) | Twitter
https://twitter.com/steven_metz?lang=en
DNI Clapper just calls for "USIA on Steroids" in order to be better at global information battles. USIA lost status during Clinton admin. 4 replies 16 retweets 10 ...Intelligence Community Testifies On "Russian Hacking" Allegations ...
www.zerohedge.com/.../live-feed-intelligence-community-testifies-russia...
6 hours ago - ... include James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, Marcel Lettre, ... Then, talk about a "USIA, a US Information Agency, on steroids".[PDF]united states senate - Armed Services Committee - U.S. Senate
www.armed-services.senate.gov/download/15-75_-9-29-15
Sep 29, 2015 - Clapper, and Admiral Mike Rogers, the Commander of U.S.. 7. Cyber Command ...... company policy, I would, I think perhaps, you know, a USIA. 10 on steroidsthat would address these messages more broadly. 11 and more ...Hearing Cybersecurity Policy | Video | C-SPAN.org
https://www.c-span.org/video/?328411-1/hearing-cybersecurity-policy
Sep 29, 2015 - Cybersecurity Policy Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work, and U.S. Cyber Command ...Nets Boost Dem Propaganda: GOP Will 'Make America Sick Again ...
latestnewsheadlines.ddns.net/.../nets-boost-dem-propaganda-gop-will-ma...
1 min ago - ... hours; James Clapper calls for U.S. Information Agency 'on steroids' to ... to revive the defunct U.S. Information Agency, or USIA, as a bulwark ...
No comments:
Post a Comment