Media capture · 2002-2008 · US

Pentagon military analyst program

From 2002 the Pentagon under Donald Rumsfeld cultivated retired officers who worked as television analysts, giving them briefings, talking points, access and trips. David Barstow's April 2008 New York Times investigation showed many also had ties to defence contractors. Later reviews by GAO and the Pentagon IG found no law was broken; critics, including some analysts, said the arrangement misled viewers about who was speaking.

Run by
Rumsfeld's Pentagon
Public affairs under Torie Clarke ran the effort
147 events, per the Pentagon IG
74 analysts
22 Pentagon meetings, 114 calls with generals and officials and 11 trips to Iraq and Guantanamo; the Times counted more than 75 retired officers
Analysts appeared on Fox, NBC, CNN, CBS and ABC
5 networks
Barstow found the analysts collectively represented more than 150 military contractors
Time to exposure
20 Apr 2008
Barstow's Times report, Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting in 2009; the programme was suspended on 28 April 2008

Timeline

  1. 2002 · Context

    Per Barstow, a strategic decision makes the military analysts a main focus of the Pentagon's effort to make the case for war. Torie Clarke, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, oversees it.

  2. 12 Apr 2003 · It worked

    Rumsfeld writes to Clarke: "Let's think about having some of the folks who did such a good job as talking heads in after this thing is over."

  3. 20 Apr 2008 · Exposed

    The New York Times publishes "Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon's Hidden Hand". An internal strategy memo is quoted urging the Pentagon to "re-energize surrogates and message-force multipliers", starting with the analysts. Bryan Whitman says the aim was "an earnest attempt to inform the American people".

  4. 28 Apr 2008 · Exposed

    The Pentagon suspends the briefings pending review (Reuters report).

  5. Jan to May 2009 · Exposed

    The Pentagon IG issues a January 2009 report finding no wrongdoing; the office later withdraws it as unreliable. Barstow wins the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting, announced 20 April 2009.

  6. 21 Jul 2009 · Exposed

    GAO (B-316443) concludes the outreach did not violate the appropriations ban on publicity or propaganda.

  7. Nov to Dec 2011 · Exposed

    The IG's second report (DODIG-2012-25) finds the programme complied with department regulations. It counts at least 43 analysts affiliated with contractors, could identify none who "profited financially", and says four analysts said they were removed "because they were critical".

Viewers were told these were independent experts; the Pentagon was scripting them, and a Pentagon-ordered review later said it broke no rule.

“Let's think about having some of the folks who did such a good job as talking heads in after this thing is over.”

Donald Rumsfeld, memo to Torie Clarke, 12 April 2003, quoted in the New York Times, 20 April 2008

The playbook

  1. 1

    Hidden messenger

    Talking points and briefings came from Pentagon officials, but viewers saw the analysts presented as independent. Barstow found the analysts collectively represented more than 150 military contractors.

  2. 2

    Trusted repeaters

    Retired generals with network contracts carried the messages to audiences who trusted them as military experts; the Pentagon had a company track what the analysts said on air.

  3. 3

    Borrowed authority

    Combat experience and rank gave the analysts a credibility the Pentagon's spokesmen did not have, and eight analysts told the IG they believed taking part gave them better access to top officials.

Through the FATE framework

  • Focus6/10

    Briefings steered what the analysts talked about, such as progress in Iraq and the case against Iran.

  • Authority9/10

    Retired generals on network air were presented as neutral experts while taking guidance from the Pentagon.

  • Tribe4/10

    The analysts shared the military's world view; the effort relied on that bond more than on a call to a group.

  • Emotion3/10

    The method was measured expert commentary, not emotional appeal.

Propaganda techniques used

Same playbook today

The same playbook can be run by anyone, on any side. We list every current PSYOP that matches Pentagon military analyst program, whoever is behind it.

No live PSYOP we track matches this playbook right now. When one does, it will appear here.