Musik @ Centrifugen

Du är nog medveten om att information som når oss via medierna och våra folkvalda på ett eller annat sätt är ”styrt”. Om det sedan är (som du kanske tror) för att presentera nyheter och information på bästa sätt eller för att (som jag tror) förvränga/undanhålla information och nyheter spelar ingen roll. Vetenskapen bakom vilka, hur, när och varför nyheter ska presenteras är omfattande och vi är nog på ett eller annat sätt medvetna om att den finns och används. Men vi bryr oss olika varför en vetenskap existerar som lever på att styra vårt beteende och våra åsikter.

Nu är det dags att demonstrera hur långt detta gått. Låt oss titta på ett läckt CIA-dokument från Wikileaks. Dokumentet beskriver hur man kan vända opinionen för Afghanistan-kriget i Tyskland och Frankrike. Om man ens behöver vända den och helt enkelt ignorera vad folket tycker.

Så här beskrivs dokumentet av Wikileaks:

This classified CIA analysis from March, outlines possible PR-strategies to shore up public support in Germany and France for a continued war in Afghanistan. After the Dutch government fell on the issue of dutch troops in Afghanistan last month, the CIA became worried that similar events could happen in the countries that post the third and fourth largest troop contingents to the ISAF-mission. The proposed PR strategies focus on pressure points that have been identified within these countries. For France it is the sympathy of the public for Afghan refugees and women. For Germany it is the fear of the consequences of defeat (drugs, more refugees, terrorism) as well as for Germany’s standing in the NATO. The memo is an recipe for the targeted manipulation of public opinion in two NATO ally countries, written by the CIA.

Hur är det sedan tänkt att följande ska tolkas? kan vi förvänta oss någon skräckpropaganda för tyskarna för att de ska bli positiva till insatserna i Afghanistan?

Messages that dramatize the consequences of a NATO defeat for specific German interests could counter the widely held perception that Afghanistan is not Germany’s problem. For example, messages that illustrate how a defeat in Afghanistan could heighten Germany’s exposure to terrorism, opium, and refugees might help to make the war more salient to skeptics.

Läser man vidare så kan läsa hur det kan hjälpa att fokusera på situationen afghanska kvinnor och förmedla detta tillsammans med ISAF-styrkans roll, notera sista punkten:

Afghan women could serve as ideal messengers in humanizing the ISAF role in combating the Taliban because of women’s ability to speak personally and credibly about their experiences under the Taliban, their aspirations for the future, and their fears of a Taliban victory. Outreach initiatives that create media opportunities for Afghan women to share their stories with French, German, and other European women could help to overcome pervasive skepticism among women in Western Europe toward the ISAF mission.

• According to INR polling in the fall of 2009, French women are 8 percentage points less likely to support the mission than are men, and German women are 22 percentage points less likely to support the war than are men.
• Media events that feature testimonials by Afghan women would probably be most effective if broadcast on programs that have large and disproportionately female audiences.

Kan vi räkna med en TV-gala på TV4 för de afghanska kvinnorna snart då?

Kanske ligger någon liknande rapport till grund för Tobias Billströms uttalande om att öppna ett barnhem i Afghanistan? Det vill säga för att skapa opinion för kriget. Hur är det tänkt att man ska säkerställa säkerheten på dom barnhemmen och vad kommer det kosta oss skattebetalare?

En annan intressant sak jag fick tips om är ett företag vid namnet Strategic Communication Laboratories som arbetar med att hjälpa regeringar, organisationer och företag att forma budskap och bokstavligen plantera det i rätt tid. Så här står det på deras hemsida:

SCL creates, implements, and evaluates complete Strategic Communication campaigns for governments and military organisations worldwide. SCL’s unique scientific approach focuses on creating real, measurable behavioural change, not simply conceptual change that may not be played out with real-world consequences.

SCL employs a diverse and innovative research methodology, developed by the Behavioural Dynamics Institute. It incorporates quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to examine the multitude of factors at various operational and strategic levels that contribute to the maintenance of a Non-Desired Behaviour. An ongoing process of hypothesis testing and refinement allows us to discern the most viable behaviour and group to target, and with what information. With this information, SCL can identify the most effective route to instigating a measurable behavioural change in a Target Audience, and design a campaign to achieve this goal.

SCL has carried out research and campaigns for clients in the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and South and East Asia. Its clients have typically included NGOs, police departments, military forces, municipal authorities and the UN.

Om inte detta lät märkligt så kan man kolla på deras bakgrund:

SCL was formed as an agency that did not rely on creativity (such as advertising) for results, but on proven scientific method. The demand for the agency grew out of the failure and frustration many clients experienced when trying to apply traditional marketing techniques to non-commercial issues, such as resolution of wars and civil strife, strike aversion, international crises and riot control.

Since 1993, SCL has invested nearly $20m in developing an advanced persuasion methodology. Extensive academic research has been conducted in over 40 universities across the world, and the methodology has been successfully applied in campaigns spanning five continents. What makes SCL unique is the integration of cutting edge research findings from across the social sciences to create campaigns that produce real, measurable behavioural change.

Dags att vakna?

Källor:
http://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/cia-vill-manipulera-opinionen-i-europa-1.1069019
http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/regeringen-vill-ha-flyktingbarnhem_4476403.svd
http://file.wikileaks.org/file/cia-afghanistan.pdf
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/how-cia-will-manipulate-public-opinion-germany-and-france-support-continued-war-afghanistan