4/13/23: Media Hunts Down Pentagon Leaker, US Boots In Ukraine, Tim Scott Speechless On Trump, Fox News Rebuked in Trial, Elon Fights w/ BBC, NPR Leaves Twitter, Electric Car Rules, Cancer Drug Shortage, Disinformation Industry
Ro Khanna calls for Dianne Feinstein's resignation. Media hunts down Pentagon leaker, US boots on the ground in Ukraine. Tim Scott speechless on beating Trump, Trump not ruling out 2028 run. Fox News rebuked in defamation trial. Elon humiliates BBC reporter. NPR and PBS leave Twitter due to funding label. Biden's electric car target challenged. Cancer drug shortage leads to death panels. Jacob Siegel discusses the disinformation industrial complex.
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Quick takeaways
Tim Scott faces the challenge of defeating Donald Trump in the Republican primary and must present a credible case for why he should succeed Trump and address any policy differences they may have.
The presence of US Special Forces in Ukraine, confirmed by the Pentagon, highlights the depth of US engagement in the Ukrainian conflict.
Russia is enacting a law that eliminates the need for in-person conscription notices by allowing electronic draft notices, reinforcing their military conscription system and potentially ensuring a larger pool of potential conscripts.
In a recent poll of the South Carolina Republican primary, Tim Scott received only 7% support, suggesting that his potential presidential candidacy may face challenges, even in his home state.
The disinformation industrial complex, which combines the production of pseudo events, mass narratives, and censorship measures, poses concerns about civil liberties and control over communication structures.
Deep dives
Tim Scott emphasizes uniqueness and contrasts with the radical left
Tim Scott believes that focusing on his uniqueness and highlighting the contrast between his policies and those of the radical left will give voters a better choice for moving forward. He emphasizes the importance of addressing President Biden's failures and focusing on the blueprint to ruin America as presented by the radical left.
Tim Scott faces a challenge in defeating Donald Trump
Tim Scott faces the challenge of defeating Donald Trump, who is the clear front-runner in the Republican race. Scott has been endorsed by Trump in the past, making it a complex situation. Scott will need to present a credible case for why he should succeed Trump and address any policy differences they may have.
US Special Forces present in Ukraine as confirmed by the Pentagon
The Pentagon has confirmed that US Special Forces are present in Ukraine. While the specifics of their role and numbers are undisclosed, their presence is associated with the defense attaché's office at the US embassy. The leaked documents revealed the extensive US military involvement in Ukraine, including battle damage assessment, logistics, and intelligence support. This confirmation further highlights the depth of US engagement in the Ukrainian conflict.
New law in Russia makes avoiding military draft more difficult
Russian lawmakers are enacting a law that eliminates the need for in-person conscription notices by allowing electronic draft notices. This legislation will make it harder for individuals to avoid military service by avoiding in-person notices. Failure to report will result in various restrictions, including travel bans and limitations on selling assets. This digital surveillance measure reinforces Russia's military conscription system and may ensure a larger pool of potential conscripts for military service.
Tim Scott polls at low support in South Carolina
In a recent poll of the South Carolina Republican primary, Tim Scott received only 7% support, placing him fourth in his own home state. Donald Trump led the poll with 41% support, followed by Ron DeSantis at 20% and Nikki Haley at 18%. Scott's lower support suggests that his potential presidential candidacy may face challenges, even in his home state of South Carolina.
The Genesis of Disinformation
The use of disinformation in politics originated in the context of military and defense theories around hybrid warfare, which emerged in 2014. The concept of hybrid warfare posited that conventional and unconventional tactics are blended in a new information-based globalized information space, made possible by the internet. The idea gained traction with the invasion of Crimea and the Euro-Maidan movement in Ukraine. Russia was seen as employing hybrid warfare and narrative manipulation tactics. This concept was then applied to the populist insurgencies of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump in the 2016 US election. The rhetoric of Kremlin stooges and Russian interference was used to discredit both candidates. This marked the beginnings of the disinformation industrial complex, combining the production of pseudo events and mass narratives with the proliferation of mass censorship measures.
Government Response and State Action
In December 2016, the Countering Foreign Disinformation and Propaganda Act was signed into law as part of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation established the foundation for countering disinformation efforts and creating the Global Engagement Center (GEC) within the State Department. The GEC became the hub for coordinating experts and organizations involved in countering foreign disinformation threats. The objective was to create a whole-of-society approach, involving tech industry actors, NGOs, and influential sectors of American society to combat disinformation. However, the scope of this effort extended beyond foreign disinformation threats, often targeting domestic political actors.
The Role of Media and Civil Liberties
Media plays a prominent role in the disinformation landscape, but a deeper examination reveals the architecture supporting disinformation campaigns and its implications for civil liberties. The media often perpetuates and amplifies disinformation narratives, but there are broader mechanisms at play, including the blurring of lines between foreign and domestic disinformation threats, the establishment of governmental bodies like the GEC, and the involvement of tech industry actors and NGOs in shaping the information landscape. This construct raises concerns about civil liberties, censorship, and the control over communication structures.
Conclusion
The guide to understanding the hoax of the century sheds light on the origins, government response, media role, and implications of the disinformation industrial complex. The proliferation of disinformation and the erosion of civil liberties require a critical examination of the mechanisms at play. Recognizing the intertwined nature of disinformation campaigns, censorship, and the control over communication structures is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the challenges posed by disinformation in the modern era.
Krystal and Saagar discuss Ro Khanna telling Dianne Feinstein to resign, the Media hunting down the Pentagon leaker for the FBI, the Pentagon planning widespread spying on Chat Rooms after the leak, US Boots on ground confirmed in Ukraine, Russia's terrifying new draft law, Tim Scott speechless when asked how he will beat Trump in the republican primary, a report that Trump is not ruling out running in 2028, Fox News rebuked by a judge in Defamation Trial, Elon humiliates a BBC reporter who claims he's seen more hate speech on Twitter since Elon's takeover, NPR and PBS leave Twitter over Elon's State Funding label, Saagar looks into Biden's insane requirement for the majority of Electric Cars in 9 years, Krystal looks into the dire Cancer drug shortage forcing Death Panels, and guest Jacob Siegel (@Jacob__Siegel) joins us to talk about his new piece in Tablet on the Disinformation Industrial Complex.
