Iraqi-Americans to spread 'good news' to U.S. bases

[Alpharetta]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/9818387.htm

Iraqi-Americans to spread 'good news' to U.S. bases

By Dana Milbank and Mike Allen

WASHINGTON POST


WASHINGTON - The Bush administration, battling negative perceptions of the Iraq war, is sending Iraqi-Americans to deliver what the Pentagon calls "good news" about Iraq to U.S. military bases, and has curtailed distribution of reports showing increasing violence in that country.

The unusual public relations effort by the Pentagon and the U.S. Agency for International Development comes as details have emerged showing the U.S. government and a representative of President Bush's re-election campaign had been heavily involved in drafting the speech given to Congress last week by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

Combined, they indicate that the federal government is working assiduously to improve Americans' opinions about the Iraq conflict -- a key element of Bush's re-election message.

USAID said this week that it will restrict distribution of reports by contractor Kroll Security International showing that the number of daily attacks by insurgents in Iraq has increased.

More at link:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/9818387.htm

[Alpharetta]

1. Spread the good news?

They're punishing the truth. Truth is Bush's "Enemy". Uncle Screwtape would be proud.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0930/dailyUpdate.html?s=ent
(story about limiting the bad news)

[Onlooker]

2. Isn't this government censorship?

"...has curtailed distribution of reports showing increasing violence in that country."

Why is the Washington Post, of all newspapers, not calling this what it is: government censorship. This is the kind of crap that happens in dictatorships!

[Owlet]

3. Brainwashing the troops

I seem to recall reading that Dr. Goebbels had a similar progam.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

4. Prepare the troops for all the joy and happiness they'll encounter in Iraq

Don't want them to be overwhelmed by giddiness when they arrive in-country. MKJ

[htuttle]

5. Am I understanding this correctly?

Are they actually going to spend their time (and my tax money) trying to convince THE TROOPS that the situation in Iraq is just fine?

And what's with this?
"...has curtailed distribution of reports showing increasing violence in that country."
Isn't this the wrong group of people to withhold situation intelligence from? I knew they were going to further restrict reports to the media, but are they now restricting reports to the troops themselves?

[DS1]

6. 'cuse me while I put my Marine hat back on

Who gives a fuck what they have to say?

/end channeling

[sam sarrha]

7. the good news is THEY are out of F'n Iraq

[Moderator]

8. Not Latest Breaking News

date on article is Sat. ( more than 12 hours old)
This is a re-print of a previous Washington Post article discussed here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=874413