As a former CIA Officer, I know the value of misdirection. When properly executed, it can get you in doors and across borders without resistance. The government has used misdirection to win wars and create worldwide change.
One of the more famous examples of government misdirection is Operation Fortitude in WWII. The Allied nations worked together to build phantom field armies to convince the Nazis that their invasion would be coming from places other than where the real invasion was coming from.
The misdirection around Operation Fortitude took thousands of men and an entire army’s worth of fake, inflatable vehicles. But most misdirection attempts are simpler. And they’re not all done by government agencies.
As I’ve come across the liberal news lately, I’ve felt like there is a huge misdirection effort underway.
The liberal media seems to be entirely focused on Trump and Russia. It’s not surprising that the liberal media would put effort into reporting what is, for now at least, a non-story.
If you’re not tracking this story, Donald Trump Jr. had some meetings with a Russian lawyer. There are some who believe he may have been involved in some sort of coercion with Russia to rig the election.
Congress is handling this by requesting an investigation. But the liberal media seems to have convicted the whole Trump family with no evidence.
This could, however, all be a misdirection effort. If so, the question is who is trying to misdirect the people? Is it the media trying to hide things from the people or the administration trying to hide things from the media?
Media misdirection
The media is well known for trying to push their agenda at the expense of real news. And there is no doubt that the liberal media is trying to focus the energy of their base by pressing allegations against Trump. But they may also be trying to keep their viewers from finding out about real news going on.
For example, the health care debate is getting little attention on left-wing media. Could they be trying to keep their viewers from hearing the other side of the health care debate by filling their time with the Russian hacking accusations?
If it is the media trying to keep their viewers from being informed about other issues, it’s likely because their viewers would realize that they weren’t told the whole truth before and they’d rather keep them in the dark about anything the “other” side was right about.
White House misdirection
The White House has not been immune to misdirecting people in the past. While we may never know for sure, there have been many cases where the president seems to have leaked information or created news-worthy events for the purpose of getting attention off of another topic.
Former President Bill Clinton was often accused of placing troops in Kosovo to help remove attention from the Monika Lewinsky scandal. Trouble had been brewing in Kosovo for years when, in January of 1998, the president’s relationship with the 22-year-old intern came to light. In July of 1998, President Clinton declared a state of emergency in regards to the violence in Kosovo. This what just three months prior to his admittance that he had been involved in an “improper physical relationship” with Lewinsky.
We may never have proof that President Clinton committed troops to Kosovo in an effort to redirect media attention from his relationships. But it is very suspicious timing.
Social engineering
Misdirection is only one piece of the social engineering puzzle. Understanding elements of social engineering can help you weed through the fake news. But it can also save your life.
In my classes, I teach basic social engineering. Understanding social engineering is important for two main reasons.
First, it can keep you out of trouble by understanding when someone else is trying to use social engineering against you. This can be trying to scam you out of money or trying to convince you of a political viewpoint or even trying to lure you away to kidnap you.
Second, it can give you the tools to get by in a dangerous situation. Using social engineering for something as simple as being allowed to use someone’s cell phone when traveling can get you out of sticky situations.
Ultimately, someone is currently trying to social engineer the left-wing viewers right now. And they are missing out on important information because they don’t recognize it.
Former CIA Officer, Jason Hanson, is the Founder and CEO of Spy Escape & Evasion. Jason's Mission: To teach men and women how to be safe using, "Spy Secrets" that 99% of Americans will never know. Jason won a deal on ABC's Shark Tank, is a New York Times Bestselling Author of "Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life," has appeared on The NBC Today Show, Dateline, Rachel Ray, Fox & Friends and more. Jason has been interviewed by Forbes, NPR, The Huffington Post and others. Jason is also a highly sought-after Keynote Speaker for conventions and corporate events. To visit Jason’s site, click here.