American Broadcasts Reach Out to Iraqi Soldiers, Citizens

American Forces Press Service ^ | December 18, 2002 | Kathleen T. Rhem

[new cruelty]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2002 -- The U.S. military has stepped up its information campaign to inform the Iraqi people and military forces of their leader's treachery and the consequences of supporting him.

U.S. Air Force EC-130E Commando Solo planes since Dec. 12 have been broadcasting messages into Iraq. A Defense Department spokesman stressed the planes are not flying in Iraqi airspace, not even in the no-fly zones in the country's north and south.

At least nine separate messages are being broadcast at various times of day. Leaflets dropped over the country advise people what frequencies to tune into.

Messages aimed at Iraqi soldiers advise them that Saddam Hussein tarnishes their reputation by using the military to "persecute those who don't agree with his unjust agenda."

"Saddam uses his soldiers as puppets, not for the glory of Iraq," one message states. It informs soldiers that Hussein put land mines behind Iraqi soldiers fighting in the desert during the Gulf War so they couldn't retreat.

"Will your unit be the next one sacrificed?" one message asks. "When will the Iraqi army become a legitimate army of the people and not serve as bodyguards for Saddam's regime?"

A message aimed at the Iraqi public compares Hussein with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. "In the end, the world has paid a higher price for not stopping men like Stalin when they had the chance," one broadcast stated, suggesting now is the time to stop Hussein, "before he destroys Iraq and crushes the hope of its proud people."

One message outlined the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441, approved unanimously Nov. 8, that gives Hussein one final chance to declare his weapons of mass destruction programs and disarm. A separate message carries recordings of comments that President Bush and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan made concerning that resolution

Another informs the public about how Hussein has misused the U.N. Oil for Food program to buy weapons and produce biological and chemical weapons while Iraqi civilians go hungry and their children die of diseases that are easily treated in other parts of the world.

Other messages explain inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and Exercise Internal Look, which the U.S. Central Command has been conducting in Qatar.

[demlosers]

The BS war has started Hehee... Not that Compass Solo flights are broadcasting BS. With Saddam, you sure don't have to.

[Stultis]

U.S. Air Force EC-130E Commando Solo planes since Dec. 12 have been broadcasting messages into Iraq.

Can't we also spare a few of these for San Francisco, Hollywood, Boulder, Ithaca, etc? Admittedly it's going to be a much more difficult prospect to counter propaganda in these places than in Iraq...