The military-media combine

[Violet_Crumble]

Just as in the years before the Yom Kippur War, today's chief of staff wields control over several communications outlets.
By Ari Shavit

Three in-depth investigative reports by three different media outlets over the past three days painted an identical picture of reality: Boaz Harpaz was a disreputable officer. According to these reports, he was suspected in the past of leaking highly sensitive classified material, of forgery, of obscuring his tracks, of corrupt use of special military means and of defrauding the Israel Defense Forces.

IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi granted his protection to this shady character. Both as deputy chief of staff and as director general of the Defense Ministry, he intervened on Harpaz's behalf and protected him. This led the army's top brass to conclude that the two had a very strong, close relationship. It gave them the impression that it was dangerous to oppose Harpaz and best to get on his good side. Many thought this dubious officer had clout and influence in the chief of staff's bureau.

Gidi Weitz (Haaretz ), Ronen Bergman (Yedioth Ahronoth ) and the Raviv Drucker-Ofer Shelah team (Channel 10 ) have now completed the jigsaw puzzle on which Ayala Hasson (Channel 1 ) worked courageously for months. And it is a worrisome picture.

It shows that corruption was rampant in one of Israel's most sensitive security establishments. It shows that some of the state's most highly classified secrets were leaked in a reckless manner. It shows that the IDF's ethical standards have become selective ones. And it shows that the IDF was not always scrupulous about telling the truth.

Corruption: Personal considerations and vested interests have penetrated the IDF's operational networks and defiled them. State secrets: An unprecedented problem of field security has developed at the heart of the national security establishment, one that could have strategic implications. Selective ethical standards: The IDF's arbitrary, tribal and unfair enforcement of moral norms has emptied them of content and deprived them of validity. Telling the truth: Even when the chief of staff appeared before the General Staff at the moment of truth, he did not tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

A drama took place behind the scenes of these investigative reports' publication. Heavy pressure was exerted on at least one journalist to refrain from publishing the truth. And this pressure was effective: The whole truth was not published.

Once again, it has been proven that it is difficult, perhaps even dangerous, to cross the chief of staff. Just as in the years before the Yom Kippur War, today's chief of staff wields control over several communications outlets. Just as in the year before the Second Lebanon War, the chief of staff has the power to create an image of the IDF that has no connection to reality.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-military-media-combine-1.324264

[ConsAreLiars]

1. Same as in the US when the Monkey and its Player pushed Pentagon operatives

into all the corporate media as "advisors" while planning to conquer and control Afghanistan and Iraq. And, surprise, 97% or so of all guests and articles advocated for war and conquest and slaughter.

Those who played nice with Power got bonuses and far more highly paid advisory positions; those who didn't got unemployment.

[oberliner]

2. Corruption in Politics?! Stop the presses!

This is truly unprecedented.