Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Military officials have ambitious plans for conducting psychological operations (PSYOP) against America’s enemies, at a cost of about $1 billion. But the Department of Defense is not sufficiently staffed to implement all of its PSYOP goals, so it’s turning to contractors for help.
Nearly 40% of all psychological warfare work in fiscal year 2011 will be left in the hands of defense contractors responsible for producing everything from leaflets to television commercials. Nearly all PSYOP activities in Afghanistan and Iraq will be carried out by private companies working for the Pentagon.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has expressed uneasiness over the Defense Department’s reliance on contractors for PSYOP work. A committee report stated there are “concerns about the Department’s ability to oversee adequately and manage appropriately the large sums of money flowing into a variety of information operations programs.”
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Fine Print: Contractors' Roles in Psychological Operations Raise Concerns (by Walter Pincus, Washington Post)
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