US Planting Stories in Iraqi Media

[Berzerker]

I listened to Pat Buchanan and then Amy Goodman tonight on Hardball w/Chris Mathews presenting pros and cons of the policy. Pat had me until Amy delved into the potential or likely effects. Pat's emphasis was that we were in a war and who doesn't use deception and propaganda. Hey, why should we put ourselves at a dis-advantage by not countering all the anti-American propaganda? Its not clear yet if the stories were lies or just reports of the good things being accomplished or both (apparently if it bleeds it leads is the journalistic standard with Iraqis too )

But then Amy pointed out how this not only makes us look like liars to the Iraqi people, but how newspapers from around the world have been printing Iraqis stories highlighting the positive and now the world cant even trust the Iraqi press (dont know if anyone could anyway


I'd agree more with Pat as to the justification but with Amy on just how stupid this was. Gee, who was exposed fairly recently of buying "stories" with US media? These people are scaring me, seriously, the incompetence is stunning. Anyway, I'm not too surprised, but how the rest of the world views us in a highly stressful situation is less a concern to me than quickly and decisively winning this war.
Well, decisively anyway

[Pekka]

So the use of propaganda should be no surprise to anyone. The ones who think 'only bad guys do it' or 'my country never does it to me' are too stupid to realize they have been served and they didn't even see it coming.

The fact is everyone does it, home AND abroad. That's the way it goes. It has nothing to do with being liars.

[Drake Tungsten]

Here's my favorite part of the LA Times story that broke this...

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, officials said.

Kudos to the LA Times for exposing American efforts to encourage Iraqi media outlets to print factual stories that make America look good. If our propaganda isn't fair and balanced, then the terrorists have already won...

[Berzerker]

Not sure who broke the story, but I wouldn't go so far as to condemn them. I want to know what my government is doing, how else do we judge the conduct of the people we empower to ostensibly do our bidding? This exposes incompetence, not loose lips sinks ships. This was already known or would be soon within Iraq...

[DaShi]

It's not like this doesn't happen in China.

[Bosh]

Originally posted by DaShi
It's not like this doesn't happen in China.

Say it isn't so!

[Ted Striker]

Of course the US is planting stories in the IRaqi media

They plant stories in the US media.

[Jaakko]

So, are these same stories then read to Dubya by whoever in his staff briefs him on current events? Seeing as how the fearless leader doesn't read 'em himself.

"Gee willikers, it's real peachy down there in the Eye-raq! Yeeeeeehaw!"

[Lawrence of Arabia]

"Joker, maybe you'd like our guys to read the paper and feel bad. Now, in case you didnt know it, this is not a particulary popular war. Now it is our job to report the news that these why-are-we-here civilian newsmen ignore."

[DinoDoc]

So we're supposed to be mad that the US is planting factual stories in the Iraqi media?

[Cyclotron]

I think it's the "biased" part, not the "factual" part, that you are supposed to be worried about.

[flash9286]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
So we're supposed to be mad that the US is planting factual stories in the Iraqi media?

Portraying them as unbiased and written by independent journalists is what were supposed to be mad at.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
I think it's the "biased" part, not the "factual" part, that you are supposed to be worried about.

If our propaganda isn't fair and balanced, then the terrorists have already won...

[lord of the mark]

OMG! The US has planted stories in the Iraqi media, and LIED about doing so. This incompatible with building democracy.


Except that Thomas Jefferson planted stories smearing his political enemies in newspapers in the US in the 1790s, and lied about doing so.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
OMG! The US has planted stories in the Iraqi media, and LIED about doing so. This incompatible with building democracy.


Except that Thomas Jefferson planted stories smearing his political enemies in newspapers in the US in the 1790s, and lied about doing so.

So? It was utterly disgraceful the way Jefferson stabbed Washington in the back with his spiteful attacks.