psy-ops in our Brave New World

[astroKnotx]

According to an article in this week’s NEWSWEEK (cover: SPECIAL REPORT: the War Plan), America plans to use an ‘E-bomb’ as a member of its aresenal against Iraq.

If all goes according to plan, lights will blink out, computers will freeze, phones will go silent. Saddam will be left in DARKNESS

Later in the article:

From the outset, America will try to seize the Iraqi airwaves. Having used the E-bomb to knock out Saddam’s abilty to communicate with his troops and the Iraqi people, America will wage a war of psy-ops (psychological operations). Emanating from orbiting planes and high powered transmitters, Arab language broadcasts written by American propagandists will seek to convince the Iraqi people listening to their transistor radios that American forces come as liberators, not as occupiers…residents of Bagdhad may hear a voice very much like Saddam’s. calling on them to lay down their arms and surrender.

 Ok, maybe the Brave New World allusion was a bit of a stretch, this isn't hypnopaedic brainwashing.  But it is morally questionable.  

IF We ‘liberate’ Iraq from Saddam’s rule, the people are free from HIS rule. I do not know how many Iraqis would openly comply with the US, but I do know that those who would cooperate may not be doing so with free will. We are not exactly forcing the Iraqis to embrace US occupation of Iraq with open arms, and we’re not ‘brain-washing’ them, but most importantly, we’re not quite ‘liberating’ them.

 Saddam Hussein is like Orwell's Big Brother.  He wants his people to know that he's always watching; the people can't forget this fact as they are forced to display his portrait almost everywhere.  Hussein's stern face glares down from the highest buildings.  He has gassed his own people for not complying with his policies.  Fear and Power are his weapons, and the people are enslaved by them.

 Eliminating Hussein will most likely not have immediate positive results for the Iraqis.  And although it is likely that many Iraqis dislike Saddam's rule, that does not mean that they're the biggest fans of the US.  
 
 IF the psy-ops work as they are intended, and people comply, there is no way to tell if this would happen if the people REALLY had the ability to make the choice on their own.  
  
 There are ways of persuading people to help you or do your bidding.  Hussein chooses violence, death, and fear as his incentive.  In his case, actions speak louder than words.  
The US wantst the compliance of the Iraqis, and feels it can be earned through reason.  Psy-ops only spoon-feeds US propaganda into the Iraqis' minds, why are we concealing our message in such transmissions?  And what does it say about the United States?

[Mr.Moto]

Bah. It’s not heavyhanded brainwashing we’re after. More of an opportunity to advertise our case.

The Iraqi people have had to endure decades of mind-numbing propaganda, including Saddam’s horrible attempts at romantic fiction. They’d welcome truth and entertainment.

America has been doing this for awhile, and we’re pretty good at it. I seem to remember that the VOA jazz show host was a hugely popular figure behind the iron Curtain.

[Sock_Munkey]

It’s nicer than bombs.

[Whack-a-Mole]

Brainwashing? Not by a long shot.

Still, has this sort of thing ever worked? Tokyo Rose and her ilk never seemed to do much to aid their repsective country’s war efforts. Hell, I think soldiers in the Pacific found Tokyo Rose fun to listen to…never heard of one single soldier’s mind being changed because of the propaganda. The US has been beaming broadcasts at Cuba now for decades…hasn’t done a thing I am aware of.

Certainly severing Saddam’s ability to communicate with the populace is a useful tactic but I just don’t see propaganda helping any (unless the intent is to confuse the people into believing they are receiving legitimate orders to not fight).