1.3 million

link:http://www.cfom.org.uk/2017/01/propaganda-here-and-now/
“…How big a problem is propaganda in the West? It is perhaps appropriate to take a moment to reflect upon the last 15 years of the ‘war on terror’. Presented and sold throughout as a defensive war against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, the conflict has born witness to multiple conflicts including the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, military support for the overthrow of Gadaffi’s regime in Libya, and support for the attempted overthrow of Assad in Syria. A drone war, across a much wider range of countries, including Yemen and Pakistan, has also been a key feature of the ‘war on terror’. The death and destruction emanating from this conflict is immense. One estimate, focusing only on Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan and limited to events up to 2011, estimates the death toll of the ‘war on terror’ at 1.3 million. In part a consequence of the conflagration in the Middle East, Europe now faces its greatest refugee crisis since WWII. Recently, the Chilcot report published revealing material with regard to the genesis of this conflict. This material include a British embassy cable from September 20th 2001, right after 9/11, which described how “regime-change hawks” in Washington are arguing that a coalition put together for one purpose [against international terrorism] could be used to clear up other problems in the region’.[5] Within weeks of this cable Blair and Bush were discussing phases 1 and 2 of the ‘war on terror’ which included debate over hitting Iraq, Syria and Iran: Blair cautioned ‘If toppling Saddam is a prime objective, it is far easier to do it with Syria and Iran in favour or acquiescing rather than hitting all three at once’.[6] Blair also noted the need for a ‘dedicated, tightly knit propaganda unit for the war generally and for the Arab and Moslem world in particular.’[7] More fully, in a letter from David Manning (special advisor to Blair) to Condoleeza Rice (US Secretary of State), in a section headed ‘Propaganda’, the basic propaganda strategy was outlined with a daily ‘message according to the grid pushed out world-wide. Specific rebuttal capability set up’ and a set of initiatives designed to show how ‘from September 11, good can come for the world, led by the US’.[1] Remarkably, the evidence released by Chilcot corroborates claims made by retired General Wesley Clark (former Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO [1997-2000]) in 2006 that, shortly after 9/11, he was shown a memo which described how the US intended to take out ‘seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and finishing off Iran’.[8].

In short, the ugly reality that now appears to be emerging, even within official documents such as the Chilcot Report, is of a ‘war on terror’, sold by a deceptive propaganda campaign about doing good for the world and/or fighting Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, being used to pursue geopolitical goals and with millions dying in the process.[9] And this would appear to have come to pass with almost no substantial recognition from mainstream western media and the liberal political establishment. This failure, from any objective or detached viewpoint, should be considered both extraordinary and scandalous in any democracy. The likely explanation for this failure, perhaps, is the stunning success of the kind of propaganda campaign mentioned by Blair? Propaganda, then, would indeed appear to be a substantial problem in the West and, accordingly, a matter for urgent inquiry by academics, journalists and publics. It is often easy to dismiss propaganda as something that happens elsewhere, or from another era. It is, however, closer to home than we like to think. see link