U.S. Military Covertly Pays to Run Stories in Iraqi Press

[shuamort]

I wasn't sure whether to put this into War on Iraq or Bias in the Media.
Source

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.

 

[Deegan]

I wasn't sure whether to put this into War on Iraq or Bias in the Media.
Source

Every war has it's propaganda, if it works, how could you possibly argue with the results, less death, more building, increased hope, etc? This is not news, as it's been happening for centuries, only this time, the good guys are doing the propagandizing.

 

[Simon W. Moon]

I suppose they're trying to destroy the credibility of the media outlets that're taking the money for the stories.

... as if the MENA region needed more fuel for conspiracy theories and reasons to doubt their press.

 

[Billo_Really]

I've got a big problem with the government being part of the media.

 

[Deegan]

I've got a big problem with the government being part of the media.

So do I, just not in this case, as I don't see this as a slippery slope, rather a desperate act, that may very well save lives.

 

[oldreliable67]

Though the articles are basically factual, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments,

Sounds a bit like the MSM in the US in reverse, the mirror image.

The arrangement with Lincoln Group is evidence of how far the Pentagon has moved to blur the traditional boundaries between military public affairs — the dissemination of factual information to the media — and psychological and information operations, which use propaganda and sometimes misleading information to advance the objectives of a military campaign.

Getting this right has got to be tricky in Iraq.

On balance, given the terrorists quite proficient use of the Internet to further their cause, and the difficulties that, as non-Arabic speakers, we are having in getting our message across to the so-called 'Arab street', I think I have to come down on the side of 'all is fair in love and war'. This is definitely war, so if it works, and it is truthful, go for it.

 

[Stinger]

I wasn't sure whether to put this into War on Iraq or Bias in the Media.
Source

We are using propaganda to futher our cause in a war.................DUH

For the life of me I am floored by the idoicy of those who are trying to whip this up into an attack the United States.

 

[Deathhound]

I can understand why someone might think this is a good idea, but no matter for how long it has been done, or what results may come because of it, I don't think the Government or any government should have any part of any media.

If the goal in Iraq is to help them build up their own democratic government while at the same time, letting them have their sovereignty, then this sort of thing is counter-productive to our and their goals. If it is our goal to turn the Iraq people into our own little puppeteers, or at least make the rest of the world think that's what we're doing, then this is exactly the sort of thing we should be doing.

Our government having anything to do with any media, even in the interest of setting up an unbiased news source is undemocratic, and it goes against our values and free people. Whatever good could come out of it, isn't worth it.

 

[scottyz]

If things are going so great and the Iraqis all want us there why do we need to flood their media with our own propaganda? Now when an Iraqi reads a positive news story that's true, he will have doubts about it.

 

[Navy Pride]

Since the stories are true I don't have a problem with it.........The U.S. media sure as hell won't print anything positive about what is going on in Iraq so someone has to............

 

[Conflict]

 

[TimmyBoy]

I wasn't sure whether to put this into War on Iraq or Bias in the Media.
Source

What!? Did you think the government had integrity? Did you think the government was honest people? Did you think they were law abiding or something? This should be no surprise.

 

[aps]

Since the stories are true I don't have a problem with it.........The U.S. media sure as hell won't print anything positive about what is going on in Iraq so someone has to............

So if you write a book and I publish that book with my name on it, would that bother you? Would that be ethical?

Even if the story is true, the fact that it was attributed to someone who didn't write the story is truly immoral and it shows desperation.

People forget that this is the way news is reproted. I watch my local news. I hear of people being killed in D.C. I hear of a man being arrested because he was drinking and driving. I hear of a child who has been removed from his home because it was determined that he was being neglected. I hear of a gang member being put on trial for killing a pregnant woman.

WAKE UP! The majority of news is negative. So stop making it seem as though this is unique to Iraq. It isn't!

I don't have a problem with people writing positive stories, but when those stories are attributed to someone who didn't write the story, I have a serious problem with that. Both individuals would lose their jobs if that happened here. Ahhh, but this administration has a different set of rules here in the US and those overseas. Just ask Condilicious.

 

[Inuyasha]

Every war has it's propaganda, if it works, how could you possibly argue with the results, less death, more building, increased hope, etc? This is not news, as it's been happening for centuries, only this time, the good guys are doing the propagandizing.

That's very true and the only thing wrong with this particular propaganda ploy is that it has been found out. So one has to turn to another. There is no contract that says that the US has to tie one hand behind their back in this conflict. Propaganda is a useful tool and the US uses it well. Take a look at Madison Ave. Or better yet look around the house and see how much useless crap you have bought because of propaganda.. oh sorry the correct term is "advertising". Yeah, sure it is.

As far as the stories being true or not I can't say. We have access to the Iraqi press on the Internet but I don't read Arabic and I am not on the ground in Iraq.

 

[FinnMacCool]

Every war has it's propaganda, if it works, how could you possibly argue with the results, less death, more building, increased hope, etc? This is not news, as it's been happening for centuries, only this time, the good guys are doing the propagandizing.

Well thats the question isn't it? Are we really doing whats best for them or whats best for ourselves?

I don't care how justified propaganda seems, its morally wrong no matter what. Its not only deceiving but its insulting. And whats even worse is when gov'ts invade other countries and take over their newspapers. Its all a bunch of ****ing bullshit.

 

[Thorgasm]

This is a "desperate act". It is no wonder that our govt. has lost all credibility at home and around the world. The Bush admin. has no concept of the truth. Why would we need to put out propaganda if we were greeted as liberators? How about those insurgents being in their "last throes"? I will give Bush credit. He has been consistent. He has consistently propagandized the war in Iraq every step of the way.

Why didn't faux news report any of this good news?

 

[Deegan]

This is a "desperate act". It is no wonder that our govt. has lost all credibility at home and around the world. The Bush admin. has no concept of the truth. Why would we need to put out propaganda if we were greeted as liberators? How about those insurgents being in their "last throes"? I will give Bush credit. He has been consistent. He has consistently propagandized the war in Iraq every step of the way.

Why didn't faux news report any of this good news?

There is nothing untruthful about what they printed, you should understand that fact before going off on a tangent. They only paid, because this was the only way to get the word out, about the good things that are happening there. It's a shame we have to pay, I would expect more gratitude, but this is how it is, and I believe it may save lives.

 

[Thorgasm]

There is nothing untruthful about what they printed, you should understand that fact before going off on a tangent. They only paid, because this was the only way to get the word out, about the good things that are happening there. It's a shame we have to pay, I would expect more gratitude, but this is how it is, and I believe it may save lives.

I am not sure how good news saves lives. If given a list of safe cars to drive or unsafe cars to drive, I want the list of unsafe cars. It is a shorter list and easier to remember. How does ignoring dangers save lives?

 

[Deegan]

I am not sure how good news saves lives. If given a list of safe cars to drive or unsafe cars to drive, I want the list of unsafe cars. It is a shorter list and easier to remember. How does ignoring dangers save lives?

Hope can do wonderful things, i.e knowing things are getting better, this may be the difference in picking up arms, or picking up the want ads.

 

[Thorgasm]

Hope can do wonderful things, i.e knowing things are getting better, this may be the difference in picking up arms, or picking up the want ads.

Spoken like a Cubs fan.

 

[Deegan]

Spoken like a Cubs fan.

Now that was just uncalled for, and cruel.:lol:

 

[Thorgasm]

Hope can do wonderful things, i.e knowing things are getting better, this may be the difference in picking up arms, or picking up the want ads.

Spoken like a Cubs fan.

How does an act of desperation give hope? The fact that we are paying to get our stories in the news gives them hope how?

 

[Deegan]

Spoken like a Cubs fan.

How does an act of desperation give hope? The fact that we are paying to get our stories in the news gives them hope how?

Because much like our press, good news rarely makes the paper, and they need to know that some good things are happening. Unfortunately, we had to pay to get that news out, as I said, I don't like that this is the situation there, but it is what it is, and we must try something. If it works, great, if not, we have wasted money in much worse ways there, this is for certain.:doh

 

[Thorgasm]

Because much like our press, good news rarely makes the paper, and they need to know that some good things are happening. Unfortunately, we had to pay to get that news out, as I said, I don't like that this is the situation there, but it is what it is, and we must try something. If it works, great, if not, we have wasted money in much worse ways there, this is for certain.:doh

Good news, however true it may be, loses all credibility when it is paid for to be printed. It was a waste before it ever happened. Would you really watch the news if they listed all of the schools where kids went to school without incedent and what roads didn't have accidents every night? I don't think so. I have heard that it takes nine positive things to equal one negative thing heard. This would make the news last about 5 hours a night. You still gonna watch?

 

[Deegan]

Good news, however true it may be, loses all credibility when it is paid for to be printed. It was a waste before it ever happened. Would you really watch the news if they listed all of the schools where kids went to school without incedent and what roads didn't have accidents every night? I don't think so. I have heard that it takes nine positive things to equal one negative thing heard. This would make the news last about 5 hours a night. You still gonna watch?

I don't think it does, especially when they can see the progress with their own eyes. I hear this was about rebuilding, new hospitals, schools, etc, this is easy to confirm with just a glance.