Senior U.S. defense officials say the Pentagon has created a new Office of Strategic Influence that could spead true -- and false -- information to sway foreign public opinion.

The officials say the O-S-I was created after the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan began in October, when it was believed Washington was losing public support overseas.

In Afghanistan, O-S-I operations included secret radio broadcasts and propaganda leaflets.

New O-S-I responsibilities could include a worldwide expansion of so-called psychological operations. The officials say this could mean sending truthful press releases -- and false information to the foreign media, and planting it on the Internet, using groups with no obvious ties to the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has not yet approved the start of these operations, and is reportedly having the matter studied by Pentagon lawyers.

The New York Times newspaper says the Pentagon has already hired a former advertising executive to help the O-S-I. The Times says the unnamed executive has worked with the Central Intelligence Agency, the Kuwaiti royal family, and a leading Iraqi opposition group.

Some in the Pentagon fiercely oppose the new office. They say it could destroy the Pentagon's credibility with the media, public, and foreign governments.

Critics say they fear such reputable Western news agencies could pick up some of the deliberate misinformation and report it as fact.

(new york times, belida-cr, prev)

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