Military Admits Planting News in Iraq

[destruction]

Igloo, Dr Logic and the rest of you neocon supporting losers. You have been exposed as propaganda hounds. All your shit is now proven to be propaganda. YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED!

December 3, 2005

Military Admits Planting News in Iraq

By ERIC SCHMITT

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 - The military acknowledged Friday in a briefing for a ranking Senate Republican that news articles written by American troops had been placed as paid advertisements in the Iraqi news media and not always properly identified.

Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, who heads the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters after receiving a 25-minute briefing from officials at the Pentagon that senior commanders in Iraq were trying to get to the bottom of a program that apparently also paid monthly stipends to friendly Iraqi journalists.

Mr. Warner said there had been no indications yet that the paid propaganda had been false. But he said that disclosures that an American company, under contract to the Pentagon, was making secret payments to plant articles with positive messages about the United States military mission could undermine the Bush administration's goals in Iraq and jeopardize Iraq's developing democratic institutions. "I remain gravely concerned about the situation," he said.

He said he had been told that the articles or advertisements were intended to counter disinformation in the Iraqi news media that was hurting the American military's efforts to stabilize the country.

Under the program, the Lincoln Group, a Washington-based public relations firm working in Iraq, was hired to translate articles written by American troops into Arabic and then, in many cases, give them to advertising agencies for placement in the Iraqi news media.

Some of the articles failed to carry a required disclaimer that they were paid for, Mr. Warner said.

Defense officials said it was unclear what the disclaimer was supposed to say, whether it had been left off by the Lincoln Group or by Iraqi publishers and whether the omission was deliberate.

Mr. Warner said the articles had been produced by the information operations staff under Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who oversees day-to-day operations in Iraq. The senator said a senior officer had reviewed all the materials that were provided to the Lincoln Group for placement, and that military lawyers checked all materials produced by the military or Lincoln.

Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a military spokesman in Iraq, said contractors like the Lincoln Group had been used to market the articles to reduce the risk to Iraqi publishers, who might be attacked if they were seen as being closely linked to the military. "If any part of our process does not have our full confidence, we will examine that activity and take appropriate action," he said in a statement. "If any contractor is failing to perform as we have intended, we will take appropriate action."

On Friday, the Lincoln Group defended its practices, saying it had been trying to counter insurgent propaganda with accounts of heroism by allied forces. "Lincoln Group has consistently worked with the Iraqi media to promote truthful reporting across Iraq," Laurie Adler, a company spokeswoman, said in a statement.

But Congressional Democrats said the Lincoln Group activities were the latest example of questionable public relations policies by the administration. In an earlier case, payments were made to columnists, among them Armstrong Williams, who received $240,000, undisclosed at the time, for promoting No Child Left Behind, the administration's education initiative. In January, President Bush publicly abandoned this practice.

"From Armstrong Williams to fake TV news, we know this White House has tried multiple times to buy the news at home," Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said in a release on Friday. "Now, we need to find out if they've exported this practice to the Middle East."

Also on Friday, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, called on the acting Pentagon inspector general, Thomas F. Gimble, to investigate the Lincoln Group's activities to see if they amounted to an illegal covert operation. "The Pentagon's devious scheme to place favorable propaganda in Iraqi newspapers speaks volumes about the president's credibility gap," Mr. Kennedy said. "If Americans were truly welcomed in Iraq as liberators, we wouldn't have to doctor the news for the Iraqi people."

Larry Di Rita, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said General Vines and his staff in Iraq insisted that their activities with Lincoln had been "in accordance with all policies and guidelines." Mr. Di Rita said in a telephone interview that for now, the Lincoln Group would continue its efforts while military officials reviewed the overall program.

Mr. Di Rita said that military officials were also trying to determine what, if any, payments Lincoln made to Iraqi journalists. On its Web site, the Lincoln Group has noted its "thriving network of offices" in Iraq and its working relationships with "over 300 Iraqi journalists."

Mr. Di Rita acknowledged that parts of the Lincoln contract were classified, specifically procedures dealing with Iraqi personnel. Revealing the identities of Iraqis working for Lincoln or details of their work with the Americans could threaten their safety, he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/03/politics/03propaganda.html?pagewanted=print

[barraquilla]

i think this is fairly standard practice though.

is anyone surprised? some of the media are treating this information like its shocking and not something that is "normal", and has been since as far as i can recall to wwII, maybe even wwI. weird.

[eccentricmofo]

It is indeed standard practice.

I mean, war is more then just blowing up people you know.

Destruction, you should know better then to be surprised... Actually, I'd prefer propaganda as a means of warefare over bullets ANYDAY...

So, if anything.. kudos to uncle sam... for fucking with the bad guys mentally as opposed to just sending in bombs.....all the time..

;0)

[igloo]

Glad to hear this (kinda)....Glad to hear we are doing thes ethings, and hoepfully we are doing more of it...and faster

On the flip side, the American media once again shows its dispicable side.......

BTW-Destruction, you never ending stream of vagina rot......the stories are not made up, but real douchebag.........good job bu the Pentagon getting them into Arabic newspapers

[drlogic]

Glad to hear this (kinda)....Glad to hear we are doing thes ethings, and hoepfully we are doing more of it...and faster

On the flip side, the American media once again shows its dispicable side.......

BTW-Destruction, you never ending stream of vagina rot......the stories are not made up, but real douchebag.........good job bu the Pentagon getting them into Arabic newspapers

vagina rot?

LOL

EXCELLENT!

[destruction]

Glad to hear this (kinda)....Glad to hear we are doing thes ethings, and hoepfully we are doing more of it...and faster

On the flip side, the American media once again shows its dispicable side.......

By revealing the lies of the pentagons' planting of lies to make the US look like little angels and do gooders.

Don't it SUCK to get ratted out???

BTW-Destruction, you never ending stream of vagina rot......the stories are not made up, but real douchebag.........

Prove it, fagtard.

good job bu the Pentagon getting them into Arabic newspapers

Yep. Because propaganda is truth and facts are lies. I should've realized that.

Gotta love your backwards logic.

"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over

again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-3.html

prop·a·gan·da

n.

1. The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.
   
2. Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause: wartime propaganda.
   
3. Propaganda Roman Catholic Church. A division of the Roman Curia that has authority in the matter of preaching the gospel, of establishing the Church in non-Christian countries, and of administering Church missions in territories where there is no properly organized hierarchy.

So, when are you going to enlist?

Oh I forgot, you rather send someone else's kid off to war to die for Halliburton so you won't have to.

[eccentricmofo]

By revealing the lies of the pentagons' planting of lies to make the US look like little angels and do gooders.

Don't it SUCK to get ratted out???

Prove it, fagtard.

Yep. Because propaganda is truth and facts are lies. I should've realized that.

Gotta love your backwards logic.

"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over

again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-3.html

prop·a·gan·da

n.

1. The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.
   
2. Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause: wartime propaganda.
   
3. Propaganda Roman Catholic Church. A division of the Roman Curia that has authority in the matter of preaching the gospel, of establishing the Church in non-Christian countries, and of administering Church missions in territories where there is no properly organized hierarchy.

So, when are you going to enlist?

Oh I forgot, you rather send someone else's kid off to war to die for Halliburton so you won't have to.

How ironic... I too have enlisted soley for Halliburton... I mean.. actually.. every time I jump out of that plane... I thank the Lord my my God... for putting me on this earth and giving me the opportunity to serve Halliburton.

Nothing I like more, then a romantic evening with my girlfriend... and Halliburton.

Actually I almost killed myself once.. then realized.... How selfish... I mean.. who would fight for Halliburton?

By the way, does anyone else masturbate while thinking about Halliburton? Or is it just me?

Oy...

see kids... let destruction be an example for you all... to not to drugs...

Its true what they say, after awhile, soo many brain cells are fried that you end up thinking like him...

Dont do drugs...

Just say no....

And worship Halliburton....

and well... God too I suppose...

But Halliburton first.. for sure..

retawd..

[destruction]

How ironic... I too have enlisted soley for Halliburton... I mean.. actually.. every time I jump out of that plane... I thank the Lord my my God... for putting me on this earth and giving me the opportunity to serve Halliburton.

Nothing I like more, then a romantic evening with my girlfriend... and Halliburton.

Halliburton is your girl.

Actually I almost killed myself once..

Too bad you didn't.

then realized.... How selfish... I mean.. who would fight for Halliburton?

You.

By the way, does anyone else masturbate while thinking about Halliburton? Or is it just me?

dr. logic, igloo, got milk, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfailed, YOU, etc... etc... etc...

Oy...

Did you mean to say, DOY???

see kids... let destruction be an example for you all... to not to drugs...

Its true what they say, after awhile, soo many brain cells are fried that you end up thinking like him...

Dont do drugs...

Just say no....

And worship Halliburton....

and well... God too I suppose...

Halliburton is your God.

But Halliburton first.. for sure..

Because halliburton is your god.

retawd..

Sucker!

I suggest you tell Rush Limbaugh to stay out of the medicine cabinet (oxy-contin)??

Glad to hear this (kinda)....Glad to hear we are doing thes ethings, and hoepfully we are doing more of it...and faster

On the flip side, the American media once again shows its dispicable side.......

By revealing the lies of the pentagons' planting of lies to make the US look like little angels and do gooders.

Don't it SUCK to get ratted out???

BTW-Destruction, you never ending stream of vagina rot......the stories are not made up, but real douchebag.........

Prove it, fagtard.

good job bu the Pentagon getting them into Arabic newspapers

Yep. Because propaganda is truth and facts are lies. I should've realized that.

Gotta love your backwards logic.

"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over

again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-3.html

prop·a·gan·da

n.

1. The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.
   
2. Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause: wartime propaganda.
   
3. Propaganda Roman Catholic Church. A division of the Roman Curia that has authority in the matter of preaching the gospel, of establishing the Church in non-Christian countries, and of administering Church missions in territories where there is no properly organized hierarchy.

So, when are you going to enlist?

Oh I forgot, you rather send someone else's kid off to war to die for Halliburton so you won't have to.

[eccentricmofo]

You can't even fathom how fortunate you really are that Im NOT the type to stoop low enough to your level and beat you like a little bitch that you are...

Ill talk about that dream now and again...

But you welcome...

Your welcome for me being disciplined enough... and having too much to do... that is ... training... training..training.. to goto war... for yes..

You ...

The very same spank ass motherfucker... whose retarded dillusions dictate his own life... of stupid remarks and clueless claims...

Have a nice day sitting comfy in your fucking office chair with drinking your latte' fucking decaf frappe' whining how the world is no where near as perfect as star trek... while me...

Yes.. myself .. and 4 million others...

train... bleed, sweat, die... sacrifice for you....

from all of the soldiers in the military.. I would like to speak on their behalf and say.....

FUCK YOU!..

and have a nice day... I have to go and live in reality at the moment....

ciao for now..

pinkie dick...

[drlogic]

You can't even fathom how fortunate you really are that Im NOT the type to stoop low enough to your level and beat you like a little bitch that you are...

Ill talk about that dream now and again...

But you welcome...

Your welcome for me being disciplined enough... and having too much to do... that is ... training... training..training.. to goto war... for yes..

You ...

The very same spank ass motherfucker... whose retarded dillusions dictate his own life... of stupid remarks and clueless claims...

Have a nice day sitting comfy in your fucking office chair with drinking your latte' fucking decaf frappe' whining how the world is no where near as perfect as star trek... while me...

Yes.. myself .. and 4 million others...

train... bleed, sweat, die... sacrifice for you....

from all of the soldiers in the military.. I would like to speak on their behalf and say.....

FUCK YOU!..

and have a nice day... I have to go and live in reality at the moment....

ciao for now..

pinkie dick...

Pinkie Dick?

LOL

Seriously though,,,Destruction has come unhinged! He's not right in the head. His cables are crossed! Loco en el coco! LOL

He's the poster boy for clueless, rabid liberals!

Liberalism is easy and gutless which explains destruction.

It takes courage to stand up for freedom and fight against trash like Saddam and these terrorists. It's neither courageous or patriotic to bitch and whine.

Destruction is garbage. He's naval lint! He doesn't matter! Pray he's sterile! That piece of shit has no business spreading his demon seed! My guess is nature will take it's course. The strong will survive while the weak are devoured!

note: Destruction, you might as well start walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, spilling salt, etc.....You can't do any more to bring about bad karma to yourself.

[igloo]

December 05, 2005, 9:18 a.m.

Defending Lincoln

Details about the U.S. military’s payments to Iraqi newspapers in exchange for running positive stories about American and Iraqi campaigns against insurgents remain unclear. But the paucity of information has done little to dispel the impression that something nefarious is afoot. Ted Kennedy calls the program “a devious scheme to place favorable propaganda in Iraqi newspapers.†White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan isolates the Pentagon by saying the White House is “deeply concerned,†and National-Security Advisor Stephen Hadley echoes him by assuring us that President Bush is “very troubled.†Patrick Butler of the International Center for Journalists denounces the military’s actions as “indefensible.â€

We find them eminently defensible. Here’s what is known. Military personnel wrote stories and sent them to Lincoln Group, a Washington-based public-relations firm, which translated them into Arabic and, through intermediaries, paid Iraqi newspapers to print them. The articles’ true authorship was not disclosed. Some articles were published as paid advertisements or opinion pieces, while others appeared as freelance journalism. The Lincoln Group may also have given payments to a small pool of Iraqi journalists who provided favorable coverage.

Nothing here looks especially damning. To begin with, the stories were factual and accurate — and therefore cannot be characterized as disinformation, even if they were one-sided. (Our domestic media would of course never publish a one-sided report.) Some stories were published on the basis of newspapers’ independent editorial judgment. “We are pro-American,†said one editor. “Everything that supports America, we will publish.†Another wryly observed that, had he known the stories came from the U.S. government, he would have “charged much, much more†to print them.

Moreover, some military officers have argued that it was necessary to hide the articles’ authorship in order to prevent publishers from being attacked by terrorists for accepting American submissions. Two of the newspapers now identified as having published the articles have already received threats from insurgents, and one editor has disappeared. Surely the cause of a free Iraqi press is damaged less by American payments to Iraqi journalists than by the assassination of those journalists.

“Influencing public perception

of the fledgling Iraqi government

is necessary to achieving the

stability without which democracy

cannot flourish.â€

But it’s worthwhile to step away from particulars and ask what, exactly, is the nature of the military’s supposed offense. The Los Angeles Times, which broke the story, dropped a clue when it wrote:

The military’s effort to disseminate propaganda in the Iraqi media is taking place even as U.S. officials are pledging to promote democratic principles, political transparency and freedom of speech in a country emerging from decades of dictatorship and corruption.

That juxtaposition — disseminating propaganda even as we build democracy — seems calculated to suggest a conflict between the two activities. But influencing public perception of the fledgling Iraqi government is necessary to achieving the stability without which democracy cannot flourish. The Iraqi media are overrun by anti-American viewpoints; some major newspapers are owned by ex-Baathists, while al-Jazeera and the like transmit their venom via the airwaves. The truly surprising thing would be if our military did nothing to counter these perspectives. To the extent that paying Iraqi newspapers to run positive articles makes an insurgent victory less probable, it does not hinder the cause of democracy, but advances it — and saves American and Iraqi lives in the process.

The more general point is that information operations — even psychological warfare — have been a part of combat since the dawn of history, and the rightness or wrongness of those tactics has always depended on the rightness or wrongness of the goals they served. It’s unfortunate the White House hasn’t been able to keep this point in mind: There was no need for it to concede the moral high ground to the military’s critics.

None of this is to deny that we should expect the cessation of information campaigns once Iraq’s democratic institutions are secure. Nor is it to say that the military is entitled to take license in its statements to the American public. It is in the military’s interest for its spokesmen to be perceived as truthful when they speak ex officio, and for that reason the military has traditionally maintained a strict division between its public-affairs staff — charged with disseminating information to the press — and its information-operations personnel. Accordingly, there might be cause for concern if it turned out that public-affairs officers had played a major role in conducting Iraqi information campaigns.

There are also questions about the campaign’s effectiveness: The exposure of an information operation can render it ineffectual or even counterproductive, as may prove to be the case this time. But the risk of exposure is something the military factors into its planning, and is better qualified to assess than are its civilian detractors.

It probably also factors in — although in a better world it would not have to — the delight with which those detractors salivate over any opportunity to slander our project in Iraq. There can be little doubt that they will seize on this story, as on every pseudo-scandal that has preceded it, to impugn the war’s legitimacy. If so, they will reveal themselves as caring less about Iraqi democracy than about destroying American resolve to build it.

[barraquilla]

There can be little doubt that they will seize on this story, as on every pseudo-scandal that has preceded it, to impugn the war’s legitimacy. If so, they will reveal themselves as caring less about Iraqi democracy than about destroying American resolve to build it.

^so true.

sadly, some of the articles i read a few days ago were almost verging on ad hominem. they trust most readers will be upset by the use propaganda or counter propaganda, which they might be, but it certainly has been used less nobly and more dangerously in other instances, be upset about that. there are definitely more important issues, depending on one's stance on the war, which remain unaddressed.