Iraq

Catching Up With al Qaeda

by Sheldon Rampton — October 15, 2007 - 3:10pm

"America should hire al-Qaeda's PR Agent," argues Matt Armstrong. Iraq, he says, has become "a stage" for "a new public diplomacy that insurgents understand, and the U.S. State Department doesn't. ...

Main Source: 
GOOD Magazine, October 3, 2007

Congresspedia Review: Last Week in Congress (Oct. 1 - 5, 2007)

by Conor Kenny — October 9, 2007 - 5:33am
  • Topics: Iraq, This Week In Congress, U.S. Congress

    • The big two issues in the 2008 elections - health care and the war - dominated the news out of the Capitol dome this week while (of course) more federal investigations into members of Congress slowly moved forward and yet another senate Republican announced his retirement.

    President Bush vetoed the significant expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), but Democrats have vowed to pass it again, this time with a veto-proof majority.

    Burson-Marsteller To Help Blackwater out of Hot Water

    by Diane Farsetta — October 8, 2007 - 12:19pm

    Blackwater USA has hired the PR firm Burson-Marsteller (B-M) for crisis management, following a September 16 incident in which the company killed 17 Iraqi civilians, according to the Iraqi government's investigation.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, October 6, 2007

    When Independent Oversight Isn't

    by Diane Farsetta — October 3, 2007 - 2:30pm

    "The State Department's initial report of last month's incident in which Blackwater guards were accused of killing Iraqi civilians was written by a Blackwater contractor," reports CNN.

    Main Source: 
    CNN, October 2, 2007

    AEI & Freedom's Watch Seek $200 Million to Sell War on Iran

    by John Stauber — October 1, 2007 - 9:21am

    The New York Times reports that Freedom's Watch is working with the American Enterprise Institute to lobby for war with Iran. "'If Hitler's warnings were heeded when he wrote Mein Kampf he could have been stopped,' said Bradley Blakeman, 49, the president of Freedom's Watch and a former deputy assistant to Mr.

    Main Source: 
    New York Times, September 30, 2007

    U.S. Invades Cyberspace

    by Diane Farsetta — September 26, 2007 - 5:34pm

    The U.S. State Department is upgrading "foreign policy to Web 2.0 interactivity for the new electronic information age," with its first-ever blog, "Dipnote." The department "has already vastly expanded its Web presence and ...

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, September 25, 2007

    Democracy Now! Looks at Pro-War PR, From Freedom's Watch to Petraeus

    by John Stauber — September 13, 2007 - 9:59am

    Democracy Now! reports: "President Bush's prime time address before the nation tonight culminates a carefully orchestrated public relations campaign to win support for the continuation of the war in Iraq.

    Main Source: 
    Democracy Now, September 13, 2007

    Saddam Did 9/11 -- One-Third of Americans Believe the Big Lie

    by John Stauber — September 10, 2007 - 10:34am

    An important New York Times/CBS News survey finds that six years after the terror attacks of 9/11, "33 percent of all Americans, including 40 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of Democrats, say Saddam Hussein was personally involved." In reality, of course, Saddam and Iraq had absolutely no connection to the terror attacks.

    Main Source: 
    New York Times, September 10, 2007

    Report Our Troops

    by Sheldon Rampton — September 4, 2007 - 10:07pm

    Although supporting U.S. soldiers has been a constant theme in American political rhetoric, their needs and rights when they return home and readjust to civilian life have gone largely ignored. Journalist Aaron Glantz is attempting to fill this gap with a new website, WarComesHome.org, which features first-person accounts of US veterans.

    Main Source: 
    WarComesHome.org

    Who's Footing Allawi's Lobbying Bill?

    by Diane Farsetta — August 30, 2007 - 4:56pm

    The Barbour, Griffith and Rogers (BGR) lobbying firm "is talking to the Justice Department about how to amend its foreign-agent filings after department lawyers questioned whether the firm had adequately disclosed who was paying" for the $50,000 per month contract with former Iraqi prime minister

    Main Source: 
    Newsweek, August 29, 2007
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