The key thing about "disinformation," besides other things, is its
brutal character. It is used to "justify" literally everything
which, under normal circumstances, cannot be justified. Take for
example the most recent cruise missile attack on Iraq. Can such an
attack against Iraq be justified? No, not under the circumstances
in which the facts of life like sovereignty are recognized. U.S.
imperialism has its "particular" interpretation and definition of
things as do others who participate in disinformation. Their
interpretation is based on the pragmatic notion that "truth is what
works." If "might makes right" works, so be it!
What U.S. imperialism produces are human beings and ideology
that do not have any regard whatsoever for the wellbeing of
humanity. They constitute the anti-human factor/anti-consciousness,
a material/ideological force against all those who are fighting to
open society's door to progress. This is what other imperialist
powers also produce. However, there also appears its antithesis,
the human factor/social consciousness. The aim of disinformation
becomes to justify the elimination of the human factor/social
consciousness. This is precisely the aim of disinformation.
Some people suggest that disinformation is revision of
well-known facts of history. Not quite. This is the case, but
disinformation is more than that. It is the most sinister weapon in
the hands of the reactionary ruling classes to justify every kind
of brutality and inhumanity. Usually, disinformation campaigns are
run by "public relations firms" whose aim is to defeat the
protagonist-which can be an individual, collective or even a
country. Such firms are hired by the governments and bourgeois
political parties striving desperately to come to power. Think
tanks and universities, and other education institutions are also
used to achieve the same result. Disinformation must also be
characterized as the worst form of character assassination, and as
a prelude and justification for actual assassination and other
forms of aggression.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
