VOA - Pentagon Concerned Russia Cultivating Sympathy Among US Troops

[RKP5637]

https://www.voanews.com/usa/pentagon-concerned-russia-cultivating-sympathy-among-us-troops

Voice of America - WASHINGTON - Russian efforts to weaken the West through a relentless campaign of information warfare may be starting to pay off, cracking a key bastion of the U.S. line of defense: the military.

While most Americans still see Moscow as a key U.S. adversary, new polling suggests that view is changing, most notably among the households of military members.

The second annual Reagan National Defense Survey, completed in late October, found nearly half of armed services households questioned, 46%, said they viewed Russia as ally.

Overall, the survey found 28% of Americans identified Russia as an ally, up from 19% the previous year.

Generally, the pollsters found the positive views of Russia seemed to be “predominantly driven by Republicans who have responded to positive cues from [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump about Russia,” according to an executive summary accompanying the results.

While a majority, 71% of all Americans and 53% of military households, still views Russia as an enemy, the spike in pro-Russian sentiment has defense officials concerned.

“There is an effort, on the part of Russia, to flood the media with disinformation to sow doubt and confusion,” Defense Department spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Carla Gleason told VOA.

“This is not only through discordant and inflammatory dialogue but through false narratives designed to illicit sympathetic views,” she said, adding, “we are actively working to expose and counter Russian disinformation whenever possible.”

A Gallup survey published in February of this year found only 24% of Americans had a positive view of Russia, down from a 44% favorable rating in February of 2013.

Countering Russia’s efforts, both against the U.S. military and American society at large, has not been easy, according to both analysts and former officials, because of the political climate and the rhetoric coming from the White House.

“It is dangerous,” said Jorge Benitez, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who specializes in transatlantic relations, U.S. security and Russia.

“The new polls reveal a significant change among Republican voters who historically have been opposed to Russia,” he said. “More and more Republicans have changed their views on Russia because of President Trump’s positive statements about Russia and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”

[uponit7771]

1. Well thier CaC Trump is Putin's whore so of course they would have sympathy towards Russia

[dewsgirl]

2. 46 percent😳

[Baitball Blogger]

11. Hmm...

Funny how that number matches Trump's core support group.

[Iliyah]

3. When the USA allows people like

Russ Limpballs and other hate radio personalities to have free reign of the airwaves to the Military and fake fucking news like the real propaganda bullshit Murdoch machines to also have free reign of the viewership targeted at the Military, than what does the Pentagon expect. The Republicans are a cult.

[RKP5637]

4. Exactly!!! The stage could not be better set for Russian propaganda. n/t

[roamer65]

5. Poll them along racial lines. You will find most of their support is among whites.

Putin is playing to white supremacists.

In general, Russians are very racist so this form of propoganda is easy for them.

[Farmer-Rick]

7. When the cold war ended, the US sponsored Russian ships for Fleet Week in New York City

I think it was a Russian destroyer in 1993. At the Staten Island Naval Base (since closed), we had relay races with Russian sailors.

It was kind of sad to see. The men were all very skinny, very pale, very sickly looking with ill fitting uniforms and raggedy shoes.

I bet shorty Putin hasn't made them any healthier. I don't dislike the Russian people. It's the short little man in Russia who rules like a Tzar, dictator and fascist that I despise. He thinks he should rule the world and put the most disgusting POS in our white house along with his Slovenian sex worker as our 1st nude lady..

[Baked Potato]

8. This has been going on for years, the CinC is a Russian operative

The Commander In Chief can exert pressure on the military unlike any other Commander. Combine this with unrelenting Russian propaganda, I’m surprised the situation isn’t worse. The overall culture of the Military is ripe pickings for Putin. That, combined with Republican and religious pressures here at home creates a constant tension.

Russian propaganda promotes a camaraderie between their troops and ours. They promote the idea that their military excursions are not unlike ours, so let’s be friends in arms. When that bond is made, it’s easy to introduce other issues. It’s not a new tactic, but with a Trump in office, it’s even more effective as it’s no secret he loves Russia.

Russian propaganda engaged U.S. vets, troops on Twitter and Facebook, study finds

BY GREG GORDON AND PETER STONE MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU
OCTOBER 09, 2017 05:00 AM

“We’ve found an entire ecosystem of junk news about national security issues that is deliberately crafted for U.S. veterans and active military personnel,” said Philip Howard, a professor of internet studies who led the research. “It’s a complex blend of content with a Russian view of the world – wild rumors and conspiracies.”

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article177744986.html

***********************

How Russia Targets the U.S. Military
With hacks, pro-Putin trolls and fake news, the Kremlin is ratcheting up its efforts to turn American servicemembers and veterans into a fifth column.
By BEN SCHRECKINGER June 12, 2017

“In addition to propaganda designed to influence service members and veterans, Russian state actors are friending service members on Facebook while posing as attractive young women to gather intelligence and targeting the Twitter accounts of Defense Department employees with highly customized “phishing” attacks. The same Russian military hacking group that breached the Democratic National Committee, “Fancy Bear,” was also responsible for publicly posting stolen Army data online while posing as supporters of the Islamic State in 2015, according to the findings of one cybersecurity firm. And the hacking group’s most common target for phishing attacks in the West has been military personnel, with service members’ spouses making up another prominent target demographic, according to another cybersecurity firm.”

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/12/how-russia-targets-the-us-military-215247

[RKP5637]

9. Thanks for the additional information!

[Baked Potato]

10. You're welcome, thanks for posting this

Military issues are important to me. Concerning the military, the situation with Trump generally is not as bad as it looks. Putin’s military is weak and has low morale. He only dreams of a military as strong and courageous and honorable as ours.

[ck4829]

12. Kick