Feb 06 2009
Pentagon to spend at least $4.7 billion on PR
A new report from the Associated Press finds that the Pentagon has greatly increased spending on public relations in recent years, and will spend at least $4.7 billion this year. PR spending has shot up with dissent over two wars which continue to rage, and with it has come concerns that the Pentagon crossed the line into propaganda, in violation of federal law.
The AP studied Department of Defense budgets and other documents from the last five years, finding a 63% increase in PR spending over that time. However, due to classified budgets, it is estimated to be even higher. The $4.7 slated for this year is almost as much as was spend on body armor for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Among the programs of the ever-increasing media wing of the Pentagon is the Hometown News Service - Pentagon staff write glowing stories which are distributed freely to newspapers without titles or mention of Hometown News. In 2009 they plan 5,400 press releases, 3,000 TV releases, and 1,600 radio interviews. For a sample, visit their “Print Stories” page.
On December 12, 2008, the Pentagon Inspector General released an audit report saying the public affairs office may have crossed the line into propaganda. It also found 126 government employees and 31 contractors working in the public affairs office, when only 89 positions were authorized.
The largest amount of PR money, around $1.6 billion, is allocated for recruitment and advertising. $547 million is for public affairs, which targets U.S. audiences, and $489 million for psychological operations, which target foreign audiences.
It must be remembered that every single dollar spend by the Pentagon comes from the taxpayers. $4.7 billion of our dollars (likely many more) will be spent this year by the Pentagon to win hearts and minds. As usual, we have learned nothing from history, and continue to throw money into the fire. If a cause is just and good, there should never need to be a billion dollar campaign to convince the people it is so.
More unsettling to me is the fact that $4.7 billion is still only 1% of the Pentagon’s budget. Obama has said he will comb through the Pentagon budget for bloated spending and waste. We will see if there is any of the promised “Change.” I for one will not be holding my breath.
Source: Newsweek - AP Impact:Pentagon ups public relations spending February 5, 2009
8% increase in the budget, partially for crap like this?