As we all know Iraq TV is still on the air, even though everyone knows we could have easily knocked it out of commission early on. Some have speculated that it helps our cause to keep the station up and running. Maybe true, maybe not.
But I think something else may be in the works. If we lull the Iraqis into trusting their TV, we can hijack it later when we need to mislead them with disinformation. Such a move would probably only work once, for a short period, but it might prove a crutial tactic in the endgame of the war. I’m pretty sure such a broadcast mindf*uck is legal by international rules of war. But maybe not.
Are you asking if it would be intended to mislead the Iraqi forces? Because I think they have access to Western media, and lord knows our media are very precise in letting us (and them) know exactly where our forces are in their march to Baghdad.
So I doubt that an Iraqi TV subterfuge would hold up on its own if that’s what you meant. Maybe if it was a part of a larger campaign.
I’m talking about a literal hijacking, say while the “Battle for Baghdad” is raging at the outskirts of the city. A commando unit could capture the broadcast facility (or transmitter) and begin broadcasting false information under the guise of the normal Iraq TV programming.
I’m not sure what the best false message would be – say that SH is dead, or has surrendered, or even that the US has surrendered. The idea would be to get the enemy to show themselves, or get confused or disheartened.
(I’m sure someone more devious than I can come up with is a far subtler, sneakier and more effective message than the examples I’ve given, but it’s late. Forgive me.)
And why does everyone cap my username these days? Lower case “s” please. Sheesh.