They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

Noah Shachtman at the Danger Room tells me that the Army has hired the defense contractor MPRI to analyze the various political and military blogs that comment on Army issues. The purpose of this analysis is to inform top leadership about what's being said online and in leading social outlets. I suppose it's "situational awareness" for information operations. And yours truly is one of the two dozen blogs under review. 

Only posts that directly blast a particular Army general — or the Army’s ability to perform in Afghanistan — seem to qualify as “critical.” Our pal Jason Sigger was dinged as critical twice during the week of April 3rd. In one post, he called Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey “something of an ignorant asshole.” Then, in a book review, he opined that “the US Army hasn’t effectively executed COIN [counterinsurgency] operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The reports also rank the top issues of the week in the national security blogopshere, and categorize blog posts into “strategic lines of effort.” (Most fall into “other.”) A few choice comments on blog posts are highlighted, as well. (So keep ranting away there, trolls!)

Technically, I didn't opine that the Army hadn't effectively executed COIN operations, it was the author, COL Robert Cassidy who was opining. I just had to dig that feeling out of the man's book, because he didn't come out and directly state it, and I did agree with his sentiments. But yeah, I did call Casey an asshole. That's not really gonna change.

In the other two weekly reports that are identified in the Danger Room post, I do have a few posts that are rated as "balanced" or "supportive." But it really doesn't hurt my feelings when they note that I wrote some critical posts. I love the Army, had a great time for several years, and it provided me some great skills and a security clearance. I still enjoy working military issues, but let's be honest. There are some dumb people in the military, and there are military issues that just shouldn't have been started and others that are badly directed. I consider it my responsibility to help the Army become a better organization, as well as the DOD overall. And part of that responsibility means criticizing the Army and DOD when I think it's going the wrong way.

Anyway, it's pretty cool. I hope I continue to entertain the MPRI contractors and the Army leadership. 

Comments

[Ray]

It's not only the militaries job to dish it out- it has to take it too. If they can gain useful tips and information and opinions from posts-and-blogs, to better their various military and political organisations, then there shouldn't be any gripes. Sometimes there's a bit of irritation for somebody, but that's life. I praise the concept of the Thinking Soldier. Or even the Marine...(Sorry, you guys, I'm ex Navy; slipped up there, somehow...Navy Tradition...) anyway, where's the humour in some kind of censorship?
Probably a File on you J...Great compliment if there is.

[daskro]

Considering they gave Attackerman and Huff post a bunch of balanced reviews, I think the only reason why they put you as critical was due to your potty mouth.