Top Tweets for #pysops

An Exclusive Reuters report uncovers a CIA psyop’s operation against China, particularly targeting its very successful Belt & Road initiative. Here is a summary of the article, it’s also very interesting to hear what professor Jeffrey Sachs says about this too. In the second year of his term, President Donald Trump green-lit a confidential CIA operation aimed at undermining public opinion in China towards its own government. This operation, which came to light through the accounts of former U.S. officials familiar with the secret initiative, marked a significant escalation in the United States' efforts to counter China's growing global influence. Starting in 2019, the CIA assembled a specialized team that employed fake online personas to disseminate unfavorable narratives about the Chinese government and Xi Jinping's administration. These operatives also strategically leaked damaging intelligence information to foreign news organizations to amplify their impact. The undisclosed campaign was part of a broader strategy to confront China's rapid expansion on the global stage, which included forming military alliances, securing trade deals, and establishing business partnerships, especially in developing nations. The CIA operatives focused on exposing alleged corruption among Communist Party members and criticizing China's Belt and Road Initiative. This ambitious project aims to enhance China's influence through infrastructure investments across the developing world, which U.S. operatives portrayed as corrupt and inefficient. The goal was to distract and overextend China's resources in guarding its heavily monitored internet against perceived threats. "We wanted them chasing ghosts," a former official remarked, highlighting the psychological warfare aspect of the campaign. The CIA's endeavor reflects a hardened posture against China's assertive moves on the international stage, reminiscent of Cold War-era tactics. It responded to China's aggressive, covert efforts to enhance its global standing, leveraging both soft power and overt military expansion. This shift under Trump's administration signaled a return to more direct forms of geopolitical rivalry, with the CIA's actions potentially setting the stage for ongoing confrontations. While the CIA has not commented on the operation's existence or objectives, its revelation has sparked criticism from China, accusing the U.S. of weaponizing media platforms to spread misinformation and manipulate global public opinion. The initiative's continuation under President Joe Biden's administration remains unclear, as officials have refrained from commenting on its status or effectiveness.