Dispatches From the Ministry of Propaganda

Interesting that this article doesn't mention the Armstrong Williams payola scandal, the illegal "news videos" put out by CDC, DHHS, Census Bureau and others, and the "rating" of journalists and PBS/NPR programs by government employees and contractors. For an Administration that prides itself on not following or obsessing about the media, manipulating and even fabricating coverage are a clear and paradoxical modus operandi. That the Administration would use these tactics in Iraq should take no one by surprise.

Military Says It Paid Iraq Papers for News: "The U.S. military command in Baghdad acknowledged for the first time yesterday that it has paid Iraqi newspapers to carry positive news about U.S. efforts in Iraq, but officials characterized the payments as part of a legitimate campaign to counter insurgents' misinformation.

In a statement, the command said the program included efforts, 'customary in Iraq,' to purchase advertising and place clearly labeled opinion pieces in Iraqi newspapers. But the statement suggested that the 'information operations' 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 U.S. military and that Iraqi journalists were paid to write positive accounts."

To steal a phrase from Brad DeLong, I'll stop calling this Administration "Orwellian" when they stop using "1984" as their field handbook.