Small Wars Journal

Trump's State Department Lacks Money, Clear Mandate to Fight Russian Disinformation, 'Fake News'

Sun, 09/23/2018 - 12:19am

Trump's State Department Lacks Money, Clear Mandate to Fight Russian Disinformation, 'Fake News' by Deirdre Shesgreen - USA Today

Daniel Kimmage may have one of the most daunting jobs in Washington.

He’s charged with countering Russian disinformation across the globe from his perch in a small corner of the State Department. He also has to worry about distortions and meddling from Iran, China, and North Korea – along with anti-American messages from extremist terrorist groups.

To accomplish that, Kimmage’s office – called the Global Engagement Center – doesn’t have the budget Congress promised, doesn’t have full authority to hire top-notch experts, and doesn’t have a clear mandate from the White House.

“It’s a 19th Century bureaucracy using 20th Century tools against a 21st Century adversary,” said Michael Lumpkin, a former Navy SEAL who ran the Global Engagement Center during the Obama administration.

“I’ve had many jobs in my life, from commanding men and women in combat to being CEO of defense companies," Lumpkin added. "But the toughest job I ever had was being at the GEC, bar none.”

Kimmage is well-suited to lead the GEC. He’s fluent Russian and Arabic, and he has studied disinformation extensively, particularly the way al-Qaida and other extremist groups have used images and ideas to brand their ideology. Plus, he doesn’t like the limelight, an important quality in a job that requires an inconspicuous, nose-to-the-grindstone persona…

Read on.