On Pentagon's efforts to manipulate the Iraqi press
Iraq-USA, Politics, 12/3/2005

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was asked yesterdaythat "The reports that the Pentagon or somebody at DOD put out, the contractor have -- reports put in Iraqi press under different names, apparently by Arab writers. Does that conflict with your public diplomacy initiatives and are you getting if -- are you getting reaction from other countries or other people? You say you're sensitive to public concerns in other countries. How is that playing over here?"

McCormack replied saying "I understand that the Department of Defense is still trying to ascertain the exact facts concerning these news reports. We have said, the Department of Defense has said -- General Pace himself did -- the White House has said, these news reports are very concerning and nobody should be confused about the United States' support for free, independent, responsible press around the world. And it is one of our important missions in Iraq and the State Department is involved in that mission to help the Iraqis develop that kind of free and independent and responsible press. The State Department has programs to bring Iraqi journalists here; also, to bring them outside of Iraq to talk to them about how to develop best journalistic practices, how to develop the sort of ethical guidelines that go along with journalistic practice around the world. So this is -- this is very, very important."

McCormack added "So while the Department of Defense is looking into these news reports and trying to ascertain the exact facts concerning those news reports, nobody should be confused about whether or not we support the development of a free, responsible and independent press in Iraq because we do."

The Pentagon yesterday said that senior US military leaders in Iraq are now investigating allegations that information about US operations in Iraq was improperly placed in Iraqi newspapers, according to a Multinational Force Iraq news release.

"Recent news coverage concerning information operations in Iraq has generated concerns regarding military communications objectives and procedures," the release stated. US commanders in Iraq consider information operations an important communications tool, the news release stated.

"Serious allegations have been raised that suggest the process may be functioning in a manner different than is intended or appropriate," the news release stated.

The Washington Post reported today that "Officials familiar with the Lincoln Group's contract said it allows the firm to pay to have articles placed in the Iraqi press. The contract reportedly says nothing about disguising the origin of the articles, but some military officers defended the practice as a necessary security measure, to protect the Iraqi journalists used to deliver the accounts and the Iraqi news organizations that print them. If it were known that the journalists and the news organizations were carrying information provided by the U.S. military, these officers said, insurgents would surely target them. Indeed, at least two of the Iraqi newspapers cited in initial news reports as having printed the articles in question have since received threats from insurgents, according to military officials."

The Washington Post reported that "The US military command in Baghdad acknowledged for the first time yesterday that it has paid Iraqi newspapers to carry positive news about US efforts in Iraq, but officials characterized the payments as part of a legitimate campaign to counter insurgents' misinformation," saying the program included efforts, "customary in Iraq." and that the "program may have veered into a gray area where government contractors paid to have articles placed in Iraqi newspapers without explaining that the material came from the US military and that Iraqi journalists were paid to write positive accounts."

Previous Stories:
  New York Times: Pentagon paying for positive news on Iraq   (12/2/2005)
  Congressman Murtha: Bush's plan for victory is rehtoric   (12/2/2005)
  Bush to stay in Iraq, links withdrawal to security   (12/1/2005)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search