U.S. Is Said to Pay to Plant Articles in Iraq Papers

New York Times via AOL News ^ | Dec. 1, 2005 | Jeff Gerth

[Rennes Templar]

WASHINGTON (Nov. 30) - Titled "The Sands Are Blowing Toward a Democratic Iraq," an article written this week for publication in the Iraqi press was scornful of outsiders' pessimism about the country's future.

A vendor shows newspapers for sale at his stall in Baghdad. The Pentagon is paying millions to a public-relations firm for work that appears to violate fundamental principles of Western journalism.

[dennisw]

Planted stories during a vicious war with Jihadist mass murderers? Why should I care? Sounds like excellent wartime propaganda too me. More fair and balanced than our RAT press

[dennisw]

A vendor shows newspapers for sale at his stall in Baghdad. The Pentagon is paying millions to a public-relations firm for work that appears to violate fundamental principles of Western journalism.

There's a war going on ya freaking moron. Propaganda is part of it and this is very low key

[dixiechick2000]

ROTFLOL!

I love it! ;o)

[SelmaLee]

I literally yelled (almost) the same thing at the girl reading the 6:00 update on ABC radio news.

[devolve]

Subtlety is the key

- -

Hard to keep up with Kerry's "plan" for Iraq

It changed again today

- -

MoveOn.hateLieberman is getting testy too

[dixiechick2000]

"Subtlety is the key"


You've got that down pat!


"Hard to keep up with Kerry's "plan" for Iraq
It changed again today"


Just wait until tomorrow. ;o)
Thankfully, he keeps giving you more material than you do what to do with.


"MoveOn.hateLieberman is getting testy too"


When are they NOT testy?
Lieberman has shown a lot of courage.

[speedy]

ABC Radio news is especially irritating. It's like listening to North Korean radio or something. Almost chilling in its bloodless propaganda.

[Blzbba]

"So what!!! What do these pompus arrogant ignorant pinheads think war is all about."


Yeah, really! If things aren't going your way, just make some $hit up and pass it off as truth!

[RightWhale]

fundamental principles of Western journalism

Are they talking about fundamental principles as in the nature of time, space, and motion in Newtonian physics?

No? Maybe the fundamental principles of getting Leftist politicians to look good when their scam has been hit by the light of day?

[uberPatriot]

While I agree with the points about the American media, this is an incredibly stupid move on our part. This undercuts trust in the Iraqi media and confirms the accustations by the anti-American crowd that the freedoms we're supposedly bestowing on Iraq are a sham. Any positive news printed in Iraqi newspapers will now immediately be dismissed as U.S. propaganda.

[Rennes Templar]

I still think its better than no news or bad news. Pix of smiling Iraqi children with school books and with GI's in front of new schools can't hurt, regardless of who publishes them.

[SergeantsLady]

My Father-in-law and Husband are both native West Texans...and when I see in the course of a discussion that straight hand chop forward to make a comment or see their heads drop onto squared up shoulders...with a straight in your face line of speech...I JUST GIVE UP...because that means they are about to resolve whatever the issue is rightly...no arguments...it's done and they must be right or they wouldn't be doing the bobble-head victory dance.

In this case I can appreciate that the President's Bobble-Resolve has been animated by passing through the talented hands of "Devolve".


Now here's a trick question: What type of graphic can be made possibly showing the NYT and Others being flushed down the toilets...perhaps by two little boy trouble makers...Bush & Cheney with Bill O'Reily and Hannity wearing cheer leader suits to the event????

Just a thought....I need an expert...

[devolve]

There are several FReepers that made great animated .gifs looking down as John Kohn was swirling smaller and smaller down the toilet bowl as he was flushed

An endless loop that goes on and on

I forgot to ping you to this one on the threats to Ann Coulter FR thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1532424/posts?page=56#56

[oldbrowser]

The Pentagon is paying millions to a public-relations firm for work that appears to violate fundamental principles of Western journalism.

And the Times devotes an equivalent effort to make sure that the Pentagon's efforts at promoting the American point of view is defeated.

What would happen if America's enemies were to somehow get control of one of our major newspapers. Would they still be entitled to first amendment protection ?

[MilspecRob]

Under who's, "By Line" the papers our the US military?

[JustAnotherOkie]

So what if it violates 'Western Standards'. The people reading this have a completely different standard. In addition to be so naive to think that this does not happen here. There is plenty of paid advertisements.

In warfare deception and psyops are a must. The enemy does this and it must be counteracted. Also, I have not seen that the articles were false, just paid. Even if they are patently false, if they save our soldiers lives, so what. It is hardly front page material it is part of warfare.

[penelopesire]

"Who pays the NYT to plant stories. Soros, DNC, Dean, Pelosi, Kennedy, Schumer, Dodd, Kerry, Heinz, Boxer..................this list goes on."

George Soros has been paying and training journalists to write Anti-American crap in Iraq since the war began. I emailed Rush today to remind him of this site. Let's hope the email is seen among the thousands and he says something about it. Here is the link to the Open Society Institute and George Soros funded site:

http://www.iwpr.net/

Of course, the site sounds 'innocent', but if you google some of the recent 'graduates' of this program's articles, most of them are anti-american in their coverage!