posted on December 1, 2005 11:47:31 PM new
Well, it worked in the U.S. when the bushies BOUGHT Armstrong Williams, to name only one, so I suppose they wanted to try it out in the newest "democracy"
Free speech?
NAWWW. it cost ya..
LOS ANGELES - The U.S. military secretly paid Iraqi newspapers to plant favorable stories about its efforts to rebuild the country, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. The newspaper quoted unidentified officials as saying many of the stories in Iraqi newspapers are written by U.S. troops and while basically factual, sometimes give readers a slanted view of what is happening in Iraq. Some expressed fears that use of such stories could hurt the credibility of the U.S. military worldwide, the newspaper said.
The Pentagon hired the Lincoln Group, a Washington-based firm that translates the stories into Arabic and places them in Baghdad newspapers, the newspaper reported. The organization's staff or subcontractors in Iraq occasionally pose as freelance reporters or advertising executives when they hand over stories to Iraqi media outlets, it said.
Laurie Adler, a spokeswoman for the Lincoln Group, said Wednesday she could not comment on the contract because it is with the U.S. government. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said he had no details on the issue, and said he is looking into it. He added that if the elements in the report are true, "there are some things in there I find troubling."
Military officials who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity said the "Information Operations Task Force," part of a multinational corps with headquarters in Baghdad, bought an Iraqi newspaper and took over a radio station to put out pro-American messages. Neither outlet was named because of fear that they would be targeted by insurgents, the newspaper said.
The stories in Iraqi newspapers often praise the efforts of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce terrorism and promote the country's reconstruction efforts.
The Baghdad-based newspaper Al Mutamar, which is run by associates of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, have used some of the pro-U.S. stories. Chalabi is the former Iraqi exile tainted by the since- discredited claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
The Times said documents it obtained showed Al Mutamar was paid about $50 to run a story with the headline "Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism" on Aug. 6
posted on December 1, 2005 11:53:00 PM new
US paying Iraqi press to run favourable stories
By Mark Mazzetti and Borzou Daragahi
Published: November 30 2005 08:16 | Last updated: November 30 2005 08:16
As part of an information offensive in Iraq, the U.S. military is secretly paying Iraqi newspapers to publish stories written by American troops in an effort to burnish the image of the U.S. mission in Iraq.
The articles, written by U.S. military “information operations” troops, are translated into Arabic and placed in Baghdad newspapers with the help of a defense contractor, according to U.S. military officials and documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
Many of the articles are presented in the Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written and reported by independent journalists. The stories trumpet the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce insurgents, and tout U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country.
While the articles are basically truthful, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments, officials said. Records and interviews indicate that the U.S. has paid Iraqi newspapers to run dozens of such articles -- with headlines such as “Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism” -- since the effort began this year.
posted on December 2, 2005 03:09:41 AM new
It's normal for the military to use whatever propaganda means it can to bring the population of an invaded country around to seeing things it's way. I'd be surprised if they weren't doing stuff like this.
____________________________________________
Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on December 2, 2005 05:41:52 AM new
It seems to me that most, if not all, countries do this. Germany did it. It stinks, but it's what they do. I'm sure if you're living over there and are seeing first-hand what's going on, you're not buying into much of the propaganda.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on December 2, 2005 10:50:41 AM new
It reminds me of that male prostitute reporter Bush and his boys planted in the white house press core.
We all remember that guy making lots of non reporting trips to this white house.
I believe this White House has proven we can't believe anything they say.
Bush/Cheney and their CON-servative lawmakers have made a mess in America. Now when up for re-election they what us to believe they are working for the majority.LOL
posted on December 2, 2005 12:33:47 PM new
Yes, and, of course, it's not as simple as it looks.....WHO is paid WHAT is another big question in this latest manipulation of the media by the bush scum.
posted on December 2, 2005 02:49:42 PM new
Mingo, we never heard much about Bob Novak's role in the C.I.A. scandle this white house brought on itself. I wonder who is covering for Novak?
Its one thing to use propaganda in Iraq and another to use propaganda and lies against the American people.
Bush/Cheney have already lost Americas trust. The new poll below was taken after Bush's (same old thing) Iraq War speech the other day.
Bush scores low in Iraq strategy poll
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush's exit strategy for Iraq has the confidence of 41 percent of people polled in a CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey.
posted on December 2, 2005 02:59:58 PM new
YUP, that's why linda is desperately posting the lies about the economy
Like bush, she's gotta jump around a lot to take the focus off the biggest problems, unfortunately EVERYTHING with this administration is turning into a big problem...won't have anyplace to misdirect attention to pretty soon
posted on December 2, 2005 03:08:26 PM new
Hey linduh! Maybe you could send bushy some of you t-shirts so he has something to say more intelligent than he usually does !
Of course, you'd have to explain them ,oh, and READ them, to him
posted on December 2, 2005 03:43:20 PM new
LOL....still showing just how grown up you really are, peepa? liar, liar, liar linda.....it's like you're a three year old.
Yes, so many voters are going to be so upset that our economy is strong...that the unemployment situation is getting better and better all the time....that the DEMOCRATS voted to NOT immediately withdraw our troops....so they agree with this President's long held position.
So...many reason for them to change to the party with no ideas. yeah right. Not going to happen. But don't let me spoil your fantasy there little guy.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on December 2, 2005 03:55:33 PM new
Well, linda, you ARE a liar and have proven it many times.
And:
""that the DEMOCRATS voted to NOT immediately withdraw our troops....so they agree with this President's long held position.""
Your interpretation is, as usual, seriously flawed. No, they all don't agree with the president, it's not a logical conclusion whatsoever but that has never stopped you from posting trash.
posted on December 3, 2005 06:19:12 AM new
Report: U.S. buys positive press in Iraq
Pentagon spokesman vows to look into allegations
Wednesday, November 30, 2005; Posted: 9:05 p.m. EST (02:05 GMT)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. military offered a mixed message Wednesday about whether it embraced one of its own programs that reportedly paid a consulting firm and Iraqi newspapers to plant favorable stories about the war and the rebuilding effort.
Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a military spokesman in Iraq, said the program is "an important part of countering misinformation in the news by insurgents."
"This is a military program initiated with the multinational force to help get factual information about ongoing operations into Iraqi news," Johnson said in an e-mail. "I want to emphasize that all information used for marketing these stories is completely factual."
A spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, however, called a report detailing the program troubling if true and said he was looking into the matter. (Watch the allegations of buying positive news in Baghdad papers -- 2:03)
Details about the program were first reported by the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. It marked the second time this year that Pentagon programs have come under scrutiny for reported payments made to journalists for favorable press.
Two other federal agencies have been investigated in the past year for similar activities, leading Congress' Government Accountability Office to condemn one, the Education Department, for engaging in illegal covert propaganda.
The Los Angeles Times quoted unidentified officials as saying that some of the stories in Iraqi newspapers were written by U.S. troops and while basically factual, they sometimes give readers a slanted view of what is happening in Iraq.
Some of those officials expressed fear that use of such stories could hurt the U.S. military's credibility, the newspaper said.
