How The "China is a Threat" Fake News Cycle Works
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Bill Totten
Oct 8, 2021, 10:59:29 PM10/8/21
to Totten Bill Weblog@Google
How The "China is a Threat" Fake News Cycle Works
by b
https://www.moonofalabama.org (October 07 2021)
Here is a nice example of how the US keeps certain issues in the news and thereby propagandizes its people against its perceived enemies.
On Friday several news agencies and outlets falsely claimed {1} that Chinese airplanes had 'intruded Taiwan's airspace'. In fact, the planes had crossed into an imaginative air 'identification zone' hundreds of miles from Taiwan.
As the fake news died down someone in the White House, Pentagon, or Congress thought about how to revive the theme to strengthen anti-Chinese sentiment.
A: "Is there something that is not secret and that we can hand to some scribe that allows for another 'China threat' news cycle?"
B: "Hmm. How about our troops in Taiwan?"
A: "Good idea. That will do."
So A, B, and maybe also C called up a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) scribe and proceeded. Here is the result:
WSJ News Exclusive - US Troops Have Been Deployed in Taiwan for at Least a Year {2}
Small presence of Americans secretly training local forces marks concern over China's yearslong military buildup and recent moves
WASHINGTON - A US special-operations unit and a contingent of Marines have been secretly operating in Taiwan to train military forces there, US officials said, part of efforts to shore up the island's defenses as concern regarding potential Chinese aggression mounts.
About two dozen members of US special-operations and support troops are conducting training for small units of Taiwan's ground forces, the officials said. The US Marines are working with local maritime forces on small-boat training. The American forces have been operating in Taiwan for at least a year, the officials said.
The US special-operations deployment is a sign of concern within the Pentagon over Taiwan's tactical capabilities in light of Beijing's yearslong military buildup and recent threatening moves against the island.
Taiwan and US officials have expressed alarm over nearly 150 flights near Taiwan in the past week by Chinese military aircraft. The Chinese aircraft have included ...
There follow in total 1200 words of general 'China is a threat' sentiment.
There is one problem though. The deployment of some troops, including special forces, in Taiwan is neither a secret nor new nor newsworthy.
Taiwan regularly buys US weapon systems {3}. These typically come with training. The US has therefore had for years some dozens of troops in Taiwan. These are usually trainers for the specific weapon systems Taiwan purchases from the US. There are also a number of Department of Defense (DOD) civil personnel in Taiwan also related to weapon sales.
Since 2017 the Pentagon's Department Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) {4} provides quarterly spreadsheets {5} which list all countries where DOD personnel, active, reserve, or civilian, are permanently on duty.
https://www.moonofalabama.org/11i/dodtw-s.jpg
bigger {6}
As of June 30 2021, there were 30 active troops in Taiwan on permanent duty: 0 Army, 2 Navy, 23 Marines, and 5 Airforce. There were also 15 civilian DoD employees in Taiwan.
The numbers and composition of the permanently deployed troops fluctuate over time. At the end of last year, there were 20 active-duty troops and 15 civilians there, one more than half a year earlier. In mid-2019, there were 8 troops and 16 civilians. Numbers going back to 2008 are available. Each file I checked lists a few US troops in Taiwan. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
A number of US Marines are also guarding the American Institute in Taiwan {7} which is the de facto US Embassy on the island. The Marines also guard other US embassies. But in Taiwan they are not 'active' troops listed in the DMDC database:
The American Institute is a nonprofit organization composed of former US government officials who "retire" or take leave to work there - processing visas and handling other consular services - so as not to upset relations.
The special forces are on a temporary deployment in Taiwan and are thus also not listed in the DMDC database. But their current deployment is no secret either. It was announced in June {8} by Taiwan's defense minister:
Taiwan News reported that the Taiwanese defense minister said "multiple US special forces units" will arrive in the country to train with their Taiwanese counterparts following the Han Kuang 37 military exercise.
Han Kuang 37 is Taiwan's largest annual military exercise that simulates a full-scale enemy invasion in a worst-case scenario lasting eight days, Newsweek reported. The goal is to repel a Chinese invasion for a full week, the report said.
The Taiwanese defense ministry also said Taiwan-US military training and exchanges have been "frequent", due to China's military threat against Taiwan.
This year's Han Kuang exercise was delayed but took place last month {9}. The US special force deployment was announced to come after that exercise which would be about now.
When Taiwan's defense minister says that Taiwan-US military training and exchanges have been "frequent" and not secret one wonders why the WSJ claims that their current deployment "is a sign of concern within the Pentagon".
The WSJ also writes:
Asian media reports last year suggesting a possible US Marine deployment in Taiwan were never confirmed by US officials. The presence of US special operations forces hasn't been previously reported.
While the 'presence' of US special forces may not have been 'previously reported' their upcoming deployment was loudly announced months ago. To claim that these are 'secret' deployments as the WSJ piece does is simply nonsense.
But that will not matter. Within the next 24 hours, the WSJ 'exclusive' piece will have been picked up by dozens of other outlets and agencies all of which will use it to rehash the previous anti-China claims.
Some 'officials' make some (false) claims. Some scribe writes those down in a dramatic tone. Other scribes then copy and rewrite the 'exclusive' without ever checking its validity.
It is how the news cycle works.
Links:
{1} https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/10/how-ap-reuters-and-scmp-propagandize-their-readers-against-china.html
{2} https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-troops-have-been-deployed-in-taiwan-for-at-least-a-year-11633614043?st=pspg4fe5invlbim&reflink=desktopwebshare_twitter
{3} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_arms_sales_to_Taiwan
{4} https://dwp.dmdc.osd.mil/dwp/app/main
{5} https://dwp.dmdc.osd.mil/dwp/app/dod-data-reports/workforce-reports
{6} https://www.moonofalabama.org/11i/dodtw.jpg
{7} https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-taiwan-marines-20190408-story.html
{8} https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/06/02/pentagon-report-u-s-special-operations-forces-in-taiwan-we-take-our-responsibility-seriously/
{9} https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-09-13-taiwan's-"han-kwong"-exercise-begins-today--and-the-dpp-is-speculating-on-"mainland-threats".S1GixuvhzK.html
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/10/how-the-china-is-a-threat-fake-news-cycle-works.html
TO POST A COMMENT, OR TO READ COMMENTS POSTED BY OTHERS, please click
the appropriate link at the top or bottom of https://billtotten.wpcomstaging.com/2021/10/09/how-the-china-is-a-threat-fake-news-cycle-works/
by b
https://www.moonofalabama.org (October 07 2021)
Here is a nice example of how the US keeps certain issues in the news and thereby propagandizes its people against its perceived enemies.
On Friday several news agencies and outlets falsely claimed {1} that Chinese airplanes had 'intruded Taiwan's airspace'. In fact, the planes had crossed into an imaginative air 'identification zone' hundreds of miles from Taiwan.
As the fake news died down someone in the White House, Pentagon, or Congress thought about how to revive the theme to strengthen anti-Chinese sentiment.
A: "Is there something that is not secret and that we can hand to some scribe that allows for another 'China threat' news cycle?"
B: "Hmm. How about our troops in Taiwan?"
A: "Good idea. That will do."
So A, B, and maybe also C called up a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) scribe and proceeded. Here is the result:
WSJ News Exclusive - US Troops Have Been Deployed in Taiwan for at Least a Year {2}
Small presence of Americans secretly training local forces marks concern over China's yearslong military buildup and recent moves
WASHINGTON - A US special-operations unit and a contingent of Marines have been secretly operating in Taiwan to train military forces there, US officials said, part of efforts to shore up the island's defenses as concern regarding potential Chinese aggression mounts.
About two dozen members of US special-operations and support troops are conducting training for small units of Taiwan's ground forces, the officials said. The US Marines are working with local maritime forces on small-boat training. The American forces have been operating in Taiwan for at least a year, the officials said.
The US special-operations deployment is a sign of concern within the Pentagon over Taiwan's tactical capabilities in light of Beijing's yearslong military buildup and recent threatening moves against the island.
Taiwan and US officials have expressed alarm over nearly 150 flights near Taiwan in the past week by Chinese military aircraft. The Chinese aircraft have included ...
There follow in total 1200 words of general 'China is a threat' sentiment.
There is one problem though. The deployment of some troops, including special forces, in Taiwan is neither a secret nor new nor newsworthy.
Taiwan regularly buys US weapon systems {3}. These typically come with training. The US has therefore had for years some dozens of troops in Taiwan. These are usually trainers for the specific weapon systems Taiwan purchases from the US. There are also a number of Department of Defense (DOD) civil personnel in Taiwan also related to weapon sales.
Since 2017 the Pentagon's Department Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) {4} provides quarterly spreadsheets {5} which list all countries where DOD personnel, active, reserve, or civilian, are permanently on duty.
https://www.moonofalabama.org/11i/dodtw-s.jpg
bigger {6}
As of June 30 2021, there were 30 active troops in Taiwan on permanent duty: 0 Army, 2 Navy, 23 Marines, and 5 Airforce. There were also 15 civilian DoD employees in Taiwan.
The numbers and composition of the permanently deployed troops fluctuate over time. At the end of last year, there were 20 active-duty troops and 15 civilians there, one more than half a year earlier. In mid-2019, there were 8 troops and 16 civilians. Numbers going back to 2008 are available. Each file I checked lists a few US troops in Taiwan. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
A number of US Marines are also guarding the American Institute in Taiwan {7} which is the de facto US Embassy on the island. The Marines also guard other US embassies. But in Taiwan they are not 'active' troops listed in the DMDC database:
The American Institute is a nonprofit organization composed of former US government officials who "retire" or take leave to work there - processing visas and handling other consular services - so as not to upset relations.
The special forces are on a temporary deployment in Taiwan and are thus also not listed in the DMDC database. But their current deployment is no secret either. It was announced in June {8} by Taiwan's defense minister:
Taiwan News reported that the Taiwanese defense minister said "multiple US special forces units" will arrive in the country to train with their Taiwanese counterparts following the Han Kuang 37 military exercise.
Han Kuang 37 is Taiwan's largest annual military exercise that simulates a full-scale enemy invasion in a worst-case scenario lasting eight days, Newsweek reported. The goal is to repel a Chinese invasion for a full week, the report said.
The Taiwanese defense ministry also said Taiwan-US military training and exchanges have been "frequent", due to China's military threat against Taiwan.
This year's Han Kuang exercise was delayed but took place last month {9}. The US special force deployment was announced to come after that exercise which would be about now.
When Taiwan's defense minister says that Taiwan-US military training and exchanges have been "frequent" and not secret one wonders why the WSJ claims that their current deployment "is a sign of concern within the Pentagon".
The WSJ also writes:
Asian media reports last year suggesting a possible US Marine deployment in Taiwan were never confirmed by US officials. The presence of US special operations forces hasn't been previously reported.
While the 'presence' of US special forces may not have been 'previously reported' their upcoming deployment was loudly announced months ago. To claim that these are 'secret' deployments as the WSJ piece does is simply nonsense.
But that will not matter. Within the next 24 hours, the WSJ 'exclusive' piece will have been picked up by dozens of other outlets and agencies all of which will use it to rehash the previous anti-China claims.
Some 'officials' make some (false) claims. Some scribe writes those down in a dramatic tone. Other scribes then copy and rewrite the 'exclusive' without ever checking its validity.
It is how the news cycle works.
Links:
{1} https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/10/how-ap-reuters-and-scmp-propagandize-their-readers-against-china.html
{2} https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-troops-have-been-deployed-in-taiwan-for-at-least-a-year-11633614043?st=pspg4fe5invlbim&reflink=desktopwebshare_twitter
{3} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_arms_sales_to_Taiwan
{4} https://dwp.dmdc.osd.mil/dwp/app/main
{5} https://dwp.dmdc.osd.mil/dwp/app/dod-data-reports/workforce-reports
{6} https://www.moonofalabama.org/11i/dodtw.jpg
{7} https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-taiwan-marines-20190408-story.html
{8} https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/06/02/pentagon-report-u-s-special-operations-forces-in-taiwan-we-take-our-responsibility-seriously/
{9} https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-09-13-taiwan's-"han-kwong"-exercise-begins-today--and-the-dpp-is-speculating-on-"mainland-threats".S1GixuvhzK.html
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/10/how-the-china-is-a-threat-fake-news-cycle-works.html
TO POST A COMMENT, OR TO READ COMMENTS POSTED BY OTHERS, please click
the appropriate link at the top or bottom of https://billtotten.wpcomstaging.com/2021/10/09/how-the-china-is-a-threat-fake-news-cycle-works/
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages