[CLUE-Talk] The military takes a cue from Microsoft

[Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier]

On Mon, 2003-10-13 at 20:32, Jed S. Baer wrote:
> On 11 Oct 2003 09:03:59 -0600
> "Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier" <jzb at dissociatedpress.net> wrote:
> 
> > I'm sure that just about everyone on this list has heard of
> > "astroturfing" -- sending out fake letters or having real people send
> ...
> > When you hear about things like this, it really brings into question
> > whether you can trust anything coming from the Bush administration. 
> 
> http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/World/iraq031013_letters-1.html
> 
> <quote>
> [Lt. Colonel] Caraccilo wrote that his staff drafted the letter, he edited
> it and reviewed it and then offered it to the soldiers. "Every soldier who
> signed that letter did so after a careful read," he said. "Some, who could
> find the time, decided to send their own versions, while others chose not
> to take part in the initiative."
> </quote>

Caught your last post first... looks like Caraccilo would be in trouble
if the brass decided to play fair -- I seem to recall that some soldiers
were in hot water for talking to the press and presenting a negative
picture of the war at the outset. I'll try to look up a link later.

But, I'll admit I may have (and I stress *may have*) jumped the gun
here. This may not reach any farther than the brass in the field, but I
would be curious if the Lt. was encouraged to do this by any of his
higher-ups or if it was just a bit of initiative on his part. Either
way, it is against regulations, but the administration may have had
nothing to do with it. 

Good eye, Jed. 

Zonker
-- 
Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier
jzb at dissociatedpress.net
http://www.dissociatedpress.net
http://www.corante.com/openmind