War / Peace

Counting Votes First, Dead Later

Submitted by Bob Burton on

Visiting professor of public health epidemiology at Oxford University, Klim McPherson, notes that while the British government has criticized estimates that put the number of Iraqi casualties of the war at 100,000, a defence ministry group has been slow to produce a better estimate. "Electorates, in Iraq and elsewhere, have a right to know. To procrastinate further for no good reason is to devalue public health processes, not to mention Iraqi lives.

No
Main Source: 
British Medical Journal, March 12, 2005
Topics: 
War / Peace

America's Most Wanted, in Pakistan

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

"The U.S. government has launched a series of advertisements - broadcast for the first time on Pakistani state television and radio stations - promising multimillion dollar awards for information leading to Mr. bin Laden's capture." The ads show "images of bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri, and the one-eyed reclusive Taliban leader Mullah Omar," while a voice says, "Who can stop the terrorists?

No
Main Source: 
Christian Science Monitor, February 22, 2005
Topics: 
Media
War / Peace

SOA Watch Watchers

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

At the trespassing trial of activists protesting the School of the Americas combat training base, "new information surfaced about a comprehensive plan devised by the U.S. Army to deflect criticism of the school, now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation." Defendant Aaron Shuman introduced as evidence WHINSEC's "Strategic Communications Campaign Plan," which he obtained from an Army public affairs officer.

No
Main Source: 
National Catholic Reporter, February 18, 2005
Topics: 
Activism
Public Relations
War / Peace

Calling John Rendon

John Rendon is CEO of the Rendon Group, a secretive public relations firm that often provides behind-the-scenes advice to the U.S. military. Over the years, we've received dozens of phone calls from journalists who have sought interviews with Rendon about his work on behalf of the Iraqi National Congress, but no one has been able to get him to say more than "no comment."

We were a little surprised, therefore, when a telephone message was left for Rendon in our office by someone identifying himself as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. A transcript of that message is as follows:

Tin Soldier

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

"In April 2004," writes Mariah Blake, "a former U.S. Special Forces soldier named Jonathan Keith Idema started shopping a sizzling story to the media. He claimed terrorists in Afghanistan planned to use bomb-laden taxicabs to kill key U.S. and Afghan officials, and that he himself intended to thwart the attack. ...

No
Main Source: 
Columbia Journalism Review, January/February 2005
Topics: 
Media
War / Peace

Censoring Private Ryan

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

"As American soldiers were dying in Falluja, some Americans back home spent Veteran's Day mocking the very ideal our armed forces are fighting for freedom," writes Frank Rich. "Ludicrous as it sounds, 66 ABC affiliates revolted against their own network and refused to broadcast 'Saving Private Ryan.' The reason: fear.

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, November 21, 2004
Topics: 
Media
Politics
War / Peace

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