ThePentagon rapid response operation was apublic relations initiative by theUnited States Department of Defense to "quickly respond to news media stories critical of ... theIraq War, as well as other stories the Defense Department leadership doesn't like."[1]
An October 3, 2006 memo written by Dorrance Smith, theassistant secretary of defense for public affairs,[1] obtained later by the Associated Press, described the team's role.[2] The memo envisioned that the team would "'develop messages' for the24-hour news cycle and 'correct the record'" in a way similar topolitical campaign operations, such asBill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign.[2] Smith also set forth four branches of the operation: "New Media" (forWeb sites,podcasts, andYouTube); "Rapid Response" (forletters to the editor); "TV and Radio Booking" (for booking civilian and military guests oncable news and radio); and "Surrogates" (for "analysts who speak publicly, often on behalf of the Pentagon").[1][3] During the brief life of the "'rapid response cell," a "team ofpublic affairs officers working behind closed doors ... churn[ed] out e-mail messages, press releases, opinion pieces and corrections to perceived inaccuracies or biased reporting worldwide."[4]
The Pentagon rapid-response unit was a priority ofU.S. Secretary of DefenseDonald Rumsfeld, and some congressionalDemocrats criticized the initiative as excessively focused on Rumsfeld's personal reputation, rather than the reputation of theU.S. armed forces.[4] Soon after being sworn in as secretary of defense in 2007, Rumsfeld's successorRobert Gates disbanded the unit.[4]
