U.S. Military to Conduct Psychological War Operation Against  Residents of Hamilton, Ontario June 16-17

Father's Day Coalition for Peace
1280 Main Street West, Box 19
Hamilton, ON L8S 1C0
Email: hasc@tao.ca
http://www.hwcn.org/~ap951
905-528-5925

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release Wednesday June 13 2001

U.S. Military to Conduct Psychological War Operation Against  Residents of Hamilton, Ontario June 16-17

On June 16-17, Fathers Day Weekend, the U.S. Military will  be conducting a
sustained psychological warfare operation (PSYOP) against the  residents of
Hamilton as well as all those attending the Hamilton International  War
Show at Mount Hope Airport. These operations will also be conducted under
the guise of similar "air" shows across Canada and the U.S. this summer.

Members of the Fathers Day Coalition for Peace, which will  be staging two
days of a Festival of Life at the war show entrance, as well as  nonviolent
direct actions to protest the war show, are concerned that the  Canadian
government is allowing a foreign military power to use its own citizens  as
the target of this warfare operation.


According to Psychological Operations, an Air Force  Doctrine Document
dated August 27, 1999, "PSYOP are an integral part of today's  aerospace
strategy...Air Force PSYOP forces support US national and military
objectives through planned operations to convey information to target
audiences.  PSYOP provide a low-cost, high-impact method to deter
adversaries and obtain the  support of friendly or neutral target
audiences," according to Timothy Kinnan,  Major General, USAF.

 Although they may not realize it, major Hamilton media  outlets who are
sponsors of the war show are part of this psychological warfare  operation.
The doctrine advises that the military "use transmission medium or  media
which are reliable and readily accessible by target audiences. US forces
must ensure message media are tailored for the local populace. Media can
range  >from leaflets, to posters, to radio, television, and digital
broadcasts.  Planners should ensure transmission media can reach and be
understood by the  target audience."

Indeed, the Hamilton Spectator, CHCH TV, and radio stations  such as CHML
(all media sponsors) have almost universally condemned protests at  the war
show, and unquestioningly praised the annual event.


"Air" shows fall under psychological warfare operations in a  category
called "Military Operations Other Than War," and are useful because  they
"support the elements of US national policy objectives, national security
strategy, and national military strategy; modify the behaviour of selected
target audiences toward US and multinational capabilities; gain and sustain
foreign popular belief in, and support for, US and multinational goals and
objectives; increase foreign popular support for US and multinational
military  operations; diminish the legitimacy and credibility of the
adversary political  system," according to the US Air Force doctrine.


At a time when the world's major military powers are  incessantly searching
for new reasons to come up with newer and more  sophisticated killing
machines, the role of air shows is a key component of  psyop targetted at
North American audiences. By building support for these  planes as an
inevitable means of solving world conflicts, war shows can perform  a vital
role, as the related document entitled Public Affairs Operations notes,  to
"support the warfighter [and] gain and maintain public support for military
operations, and communicate US resolve in a manner that provides global
influence and deterrence.

 "Commanders should consider community relations activities  as a
fundamental part of building public support for military operations. Public
affairs operations bring together Air Force people and the civilian
community  through events such as air shows that feature the US Air Force
Air Demonstration  Squadron (the Thunderbirds), open houses, anniversary
activities, civic leader  tours, support for local community activities, and
recruiting efforts.  Effective community relations create mutual
acceptance, respect, appreciation  and cooperation between the Air Force
and civilian community."

 Indeed, even what may seem innocuous-the presence of an air  force band-is
nonetheless part of a larger strategy, as bands "capitalize on  music's
emotional appeal to promote morale, encourage recruitment, and build
public support for the armed forces." Hence, it is no accident that popular
rock  music plays when the warplanes take to the skies at air show-it's all
part of  the package that portrays war as glamorous,
adventurous, and sexy.



During the trial of the Hamilton war show resisters last  May, former War
Show Chair Wayne Thompson admitted in court that the war show  "has no
interest in showing the ugly side of war," a statement well in keeping
with the psyop conducted by the air force, which advises that "commanders
should  consider the possible advantage of releasing selected information."
Thus, while  we learn about the potential power of a B-52
bomber in Hamilton, we will not  learn that it has been used to murder
millions around the globe.

 Protesters point out the ultimate purpose of the Hamilton  War Show-as
well as the thousands of similar shows across the world and their  historic
precedents in the USSR (massive May Day parades of military might) and
Nazi Germany (the Nuremberg rallies) is outlined in the statement from the
US  Air Force which points out, "Public affairs operations support a strong
national  defense, in effect preparing the nation for war, by
building public trust and  understanding for the military's contribution to
national security and its  budgetary requirements. These operations make
taxpayers aware of the value of  spending defense dollars on readiness,
advanced weapons, training, personnel,  and the associated costs of
maintaining a premier aerospace force. With public  and congressional
backing, military leaders are able to effectively recruit,  equip, and train
airmen to perform the full spectrum of military  operations."

 In a world that continues to spend over $800 billion  annually on weaponry
while social service needs which could be met for a  fraction of the cost
are ignored, the role of the war show is to convince us  that we are on the
right path when we increase military budgets, dress up our  children as
soldiers, and continue to study war as a natural and inevitable part  of
life.



Contact the Father's Day Coalition for Peace at (905)  528-5925