Combat Rock

Whether it is to psych themselves up or break prisoners down, American troops and law-enforcement agents have a somewhat discordant record of deploying music for martial ends.

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Whether it is to psych themselves up or break prisoners down, American troops and law-enforcement agents have a somewhat discordant record of deploying music for martial ends.


SONG OR ARTIST USED BY GOAL RESULT INSIDE DOPE
“Ride of the Valkyries” by Richard Wagner U.S. infantry, Ramidi, Iraq, June 21, 2003 Get pumped up Apocalypse Now-style before a raid Raised specter of Vietnam-type quagmire And we thought only fictional GIs liked the Ring cycle.
Themes to Barney, Sesame Street; “Enter Sandman” by Metallica U.S. Army Psy-Ops Company, Iraq, June 2003 Interrogate prisoners about the whereabouts of WMDs WMDs still MIA It’s not easy being fedayeen.
Celine Dion, Sheryl Crow, Dixie Chicks U.S.”Commando Solo” planes, broadcasting tunes and propaganda into Iraq, spring 2003 Persuade Iraqis they had “nothing to fear” from U.S. invasion Society unprepared for assault of Titanic theme song devolves into looting “I’m sure she would be happy to do anything to help,” said Dion’s spokesperson. Crow, Chicks less sure.
“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, as well as Hendrix, Quiet Riot, etc. 4th Psy-Ops Group, Vatican Embassy, Panama City, December 1989 Force Manuel Noriega to leave Vatican Embassy, where he’d taken refuge A lifelong opera lover, the Pineapple surrenders. “We received a note from the nuncio protesting either the loudness of the music or the quality, I’m not sure which,” a U.S. official said.
“These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” by Nancy Sinatra, “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus FBI, Waco, Texas, March 19, 1993 Get David Koresh and his followers to leave Waco compound FBI later admits sleep-deprived Davidians may actually have been more susceptible to Koresh as a result. Koresh’s own recordings, like “Sheshonahim,” more in singer/songwriter/ megalomaniac mode
“Rock the Casbah” by The Clash U.S. Armed Forces Radio, Saudi Arabia, 1990 Kickoff to Gulf War I GIs proceed to rock Iraq and roll into Kuwait. Still asking ourselves, Should we stay or should we go?

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