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

You know if we were fighting a legal war for a vitally worthwhile purpose I wouldn't blame the military for paying for propaganda to aid the war effort.

Sadly that is not the case here.

What makes this a story is all the cases that have been revealed in which the Bushies: 1) have paid our news to write favorable stories about their pet project such as "No Child Left Behind". 2) ordered troops to write favorable op ed pieces on the war etc.

It seems certain given their pay for favorable stories, that they have paid regular reporters or editorialists (Fox News guys and gals, perhaps) to tout the Iraq War. Maybe they paid Judith Miller, Woodward? It wouldn't seem impossible. Hey what is a little payola next to torture, funding death squads and illegal wars

Bigtexx who should change his name to Biggovernmentisalwaysright" would, I assume, have no problems with the Bushies paying journalists for favorable stories,if Bush thought it was best.

 

Putting aside whether this was an ethical war or not... Controlling the media is a part of any war effort. It's in the playbook. There probably hasn't been a war since the American Revolution where the media isn't used by the military for the purposes of propaganda. I don't see anything to cry about here.

 

Sorry, Bernie. It was, as we all know now, a clearly unethical war and that can't be "put aside." And as such there's plenty to cry about. Starting with thousands of unnecessarily dead Americans and Iraqis. The fact that the latest line to justify that is about liberating a people and creating a democracy when our country has been buying off the media is just one more low level disappointment in a string of things that make honorable Americans ashamed to be American. George Bush campaigned on restoring honor and dignity to the White House. Instead, he has brought unprecedented shame on our nation. He has made me ashamed to be an American and I have never felt that way before. Nothing to cry about indeed.

 

Beejster - you're ashamed to be an American? Please expand on this when you're sober. Thanks.

 

To expand on this dearest bigtexxx:

I'm ashamed that you're American.

Carry on.

 

anyone with a ounce of decency would be ashamed that this gov't represents us.

i wouldn't expect that from you though.

 

Shut. The. ****. Up. About the sober stuff. I'm sober now. I'm just very, very pissed off about the hijacking of our country by the spoiled boy president as supported by know-nothing spoiled snots like you and your brother. It's hilarious to me, by the by, that your chosen method of slander has to do with the fact that I drink sometimes. I could never drink or drug as hard as GWB did. I don't have the cash to be a spoiled drunk like him.

Yeah, that's right. I'm ashamed to be an American these days. The leadership of your frat boy hero not only embarasses me (and 2/3 of the country), it endangers us. I hope that in 2006 the rallying cry of Democrats everywhere will be "Are you safer now than you were four years ago?" Because, as the vast majority of Americans know now, the answer is a resounding NO.

You, like your brother, like your president, are a fake. Throw all the slander you want. We all see you for what you are.

 

I'm trying very hard to cry... but I can't... sorry.

I will neither agree nor disagree with you on whether this war is ethical. However, I certainly don't want the effort and lives of our soldiers wasted. Whether you like this war or not, don't you want America to win at least?

Propaganda is part of any war. If you don't think it should be, then you should amend those rules set forth by the Geneva Convention.

 

thadeus and insane man - thanks for your factless responses. Do any adults want to respond to me? Thanks in advance!

 

Beejster - I would love to hear your response to this question. TIA

 

Why don't you tell me what that means and then I'll be glad to answer it.

 

p.s. I'm not terribly troubled by the use of propoganda in this war. I know it's par for the course. I'm troubled by the fact that every single thing we learn about this administration proves out one lie after another. And when we have shifted gears away from WMD (we were right, you were WRONG, by the way - do a search) and toward democracy, it's hard to see us doing every single thing Saddam did. Maybe that should be our new slogan. "America: we're slightly less evil than the last dictators."

Don't I want us to "win?" Win what?

 

Pretty simple question, Beejster. Do you want America to win? That is the question.

 

Boy, I never thought I'd be defending BigTexx and his hatred for UT, but here goes...

First of all, I don't think our personal safety is directly reflected on the war with Iraq. We may be a terrorist target, but the terrorists could have and should have been suppressed under the Clinton administration.

Second, regardless of whether WMD played a role or not. The world cannot afford an expansionist regime in the middle east. It would be catastrophic if Iraq were to expand and control more oil. It would very likely create a big rift in international politics. In the worst case scenario, France, China and others just might align with them to gain access to their oil. At the same time, U.S. and others would have to protect the other countries from being swallowed up. All of a sudden, we have a bigger war on our hands and more lives are at stake. It may all sound like a conspiracy theory, but who would've thought that Germany could've started WWII. An expansionist regime in Middle East is a big no-no in my books.

Well, BigTexxx, hope you take it easy on my horns here on out.

 

Please expand on this sentence. I would like to see you provide examples to back this up. Thanks brah

 

Okay. You're an insane freak. Good to know.

 

Wow... name-calling... I guess that proves me wrong.

 

We have employed propoganda against the Iraqi people, we have tortured Iraqis regardless of their guilt or innocence, we have used WMD against the Iraqi people. But, to be fair, maybe we haven't done any of those things MORE than Saddam did. "America: We're slightly less evil than the last guys."

The funny thing is you'll get all high and mighty about how wrong it was for Saddam to have done any of those things (and it was). And then you'll defend us doing the exact same things. You're a joke.

 

The name-calling was just a bonus. You proved yourself wrong when you said France (a country that fought with us in the first Gulf War and then again in Afghanistan) might be about to team up with Iraq. You're a nutjob. Don't blame me for that. I don't even know you.

 

Same country that made billions off of oil-for-food program. If they were smart, they'd stand aside and stay out of the war business though. If they think their side can win, then they'd probably fight on that side.

Regardless of the worst case... if Iraq is to continue their expansionist ways, the entire middle east would be forced to militarize, and that itself will cause major upheaval for the world. Hopefully, you're able to see that.