 |
|
Remember Rumsfeld's idea for the Office of Strategic Influence? That was to be a Pentagon office that would issue propaganda designed to advance the administration's agenda abroad, and perhaps at home? It was supposedly shut down by lawmakers a couple years back, out of concerns it could in practice have the Pentagon lying to the American public. But are we really so sure it has gone away? I am serious here. Congress should investigate whether it has existed in some other form, paid for by other funds, perhaps out of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Check this out, from the Washington Post yesterday:
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 reelection campaign had been heavily involved in drafting the speech given to Congress last week by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad 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 reelection message. . .
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's office has sent commanders of U.S. military facilities a five-page memorandum titled "Guidance to Commanders." The Pentagon, the memo says, is sponsoring a group of Iraqi Americans and former officials from the Coalition Provisional Authority to speak at military bases throughout the United States starting Friday to provide "a first-hand account" of events in Iraq. The Iraqi Americans and the CPA officials worked on establishing the interim Iraqi government. The Iraqi Americans "feel strongly that the benefits of the coalition efforts have not been fully reported," the memo says.
The memo says the presentations are "designed to be uplifting accounts with good news messages." Rumsfeld's office, which will pay for the tour, recommends that the installations seek local news coverage, noting that "these events and presentations are positive public relations opportunities."
I really think Rumsfeld is crossing a line here, skirting close to lying to the American people and to Congress.
Check it out - what is the fate of the Office of Strategic Influence? Did it persist, under another name? Any contractors working this? Public relations firms?
Update: Guess the Pentagon is indeed hiring PR contractors for propaganda efforts. Reader PB sends this article from PR Week, which is about a Pentagon PR campaign targeting Iraqis. But the effort described above is to influence Americans.....:
US military seeking PR help for efforts in the Middle East
Written by Douglas Quenqua
Published on September 27 2004WASHINGTON: The US military issued two requests for PR help in the Middle East last month, one targeting Iraqis, the other the entire region.
The first, a request for information (RFI), seeks to gauge the interest and capacity among contractors to wage an integrated campaign promoting the US mission in Iraq. Respondents are asked if they have Arabic speakers on staff, how quickly they could relocate to Baghdad, and how much it would cost to run the proposed campaign.
The campaign's objective would be to "inform the Iraqi people of the coalition's goals and gain their support." Proposed methods include outreach to Iraqi media and Sunni, Kurdish, and Shia community leaders; training Iraqis to serve as coalition spokespeople; setting up a rapid-response operation; and developing print, radio, and TV advertisements.
The work would be carried out under the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, or MNC-I - a transitional US authority. Submissions were due September 2; no budget estimate is given.
Also posted last month was a Pentagon RFP requesting media support for its public diplomacy efforts in the Middle East. The recipient of the contract won't be waging a campaign, but will instead serve as an adviser on Arab media and religious happenings for one year. . .
Also: Meantime, who's paying former CPA shill, and Carlyle group employee, Dan Senor to write Allawi's speech to US Congress and coach him?
White House spokesman Scott McClellan, asked Tuesday about similarities between Bush's statements about Iraq and Allawi's speech to Congress last week, said he did not know of any help U.S. officials gave with the speech. . .
But administration officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the prime minister was coached and aided by the U.S. government, its allies and friends of the administration. Among them was Dan Senor, former spokesman for the CPA who has more recently represented the Bush campaign in media appearances. Senor, who has denied writing the speech, sent Allawi recommended phrases. He also helped Allawi rehearse in New York last week, officials said. Senor declined to comment. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and British Foreign Service officials also helped Allawi with the text and delivery of his remarks.