"Military Analysts" means "Pentagon lackeys"

A New York Times investigation has uncovered that those generals you see on CNN aren't just post-career pundits, but are often in bed with the Pentagon publicity machine. Just how cozy is that relationship?

Internal Pentagon documents repeatedly refer to the military analysts as “message force multipliers” or “surrogates” who could be counted on to deliver administration “themes and messages” to millions of Americans “in the form of their own opinions.”

And the Pentagon strategy was worthy of the greatest psyops efforts of our time.

• These analysts want a business relationship with the Pentagon. Many of these ex-soldiers are responsible for drumming up business for defense contractors. Being cozy is their job.
• The analysts continue to be loyal to the Pentagon, from their careers in the military.
  
• The Pentagon provides the analysts with regular talking points briefings, including at least 18 meetings with the Secretary of Defense. The briefings include the sharing of classified information.
• The Pentagon has flown them to Iraq and given the analysts carefully orchestrated tours to enable them to push the administration's talking points.

Of course, nothing is done right in the Bush administration if it's not a secret:

The access came with a condition. Participants were instructed not to quote their briefers directly or otherwise describe their contacts with the Pentagon.

And the analysts weren't just offering their opinion on the skewed reality shoveled to them by the Pentagon. They were toeing the line. Or else.

When [retired marine colonel and analyst Mr. Cowan] told Bill O’Reilly that the United States was “not on a good glide path right now” in Iraq, the repercussions were swift. Mr. Cowan said he was “precipitously fired from the analysts group” for this [2005] appearance.

Just another reason to be thankful that the Constitution puts a civilian as commander-in-chief. Now we just need to elect an honest one.