Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 25, 2008 5:16:50 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Insignia of Our Secret Armies

Posted Apr 1, 08 4:44 PM CDT in US 

(Newser) – The men and women who work in our country’s most classified weapons and intelligence R&D programs—the New York Times calls them "stealthy armies of high-tech warriors"—have developed their own culture, complete with inside humor. That's on display in a new a book by Trevor Paglen on their patches—the kind worn on uniforms—which feature aliens, dragons, ghosts, and superbabes.

Secret Pentagon programs ballooned after 9/11, around the time Dick Cheney publicly said that the US was going to have to “spend time in the shadows.” The Pentagon’s "black budget" is now $32 billion, bigger than that of the FDA, NASA, and the NSF combined. The patches, made to boost unit cohesion or perhaps to bond over shared knowledge that must be vigorously kept secret, provide a rare glimpse into that world.

Source New York Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Justice Memo Backed Torture Interrogations

    Apr 2, 08 3:42 AM CDT
    Justice Memo Backed Torture Interrogations Laws banning torture and assault should not apply to US military interrogators overseas, argues a 2003 Justice Department memo released yesterday. The Defense Department was told not to rely on the memo nine months after it was issued, but it established a legal foundation for controversial interrogations, the Washington Post reports. The document contends that presidential wartime powers override laws and treaties, and details justifications for using aggressive tactics against suspected terrorists. More »

  • US Readies Major 9/11 Trial of Gitmo detainees

    Feb 9, 08 6:50 AM CST
    US Readies Major 9/11 Trial of Gitmo detainees US military prosecutors are finalizing plans for a major trial against Guantanamo’s 9/11 suspects, sources tell the New York Times. Among those likely to be charged is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who has claimed full responsibility for the attacks. “The thinking was 9/11 is the heart and soul of the whole thing. The thinking was: go for that,” one official said. More »

A military patch from Trevor Paglen's book "I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed By Me."   (Melville House)
A military patch from Trevor Paglen's book "I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed By Me."   (Melville House)
A military patch from Trevor Paglen's book "I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed By Me."   (Melville House)
A military patch from Trevor Paglen's book, parodying the Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Man." The Latin translates to "Tastes like chicken."   (Melville House)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 1)

Tags

US military  • Pentagon  • Dick Cheney  • September 11  • national security  • classified information


Loading...

Loading...

Today's Most Popular


Other US Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »