Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"In dawn raids today, American troops surrounded Ahmed Chalabi's headquarters and home in Baghdad, put a gun to his head, arrested two of his aides, and seized documents," Andrew Cockburn writes. "Only five months ago, Chalabi was a guest of honor sitting right behind Laura Bush at the State of the Union.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Congress' investigative arm, the General Accounting Office, determined that video news releases (VNRs) touting the new Medicare law, which ran as news reports on some 40 stations, violated a ban on government funded "publicity and propaganda." The Hill notes, "VNRs are standard practice in the public-relations industry and local news reports often rely on them. ...
Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
"The United States government has decided to halt monthly $335,000 payments to the Iraqi National Congress, the group headed by Ahmad Chalabi," reports Richard A. Oppel, Jr. The INC, which has received at least $27 million in U.S. financing during the past four years, played a crucial role in the Bush administration's campaign to sell the war in Iraq.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"The U.S. government is a marketplace too rich to ignore," writes Jeffrey Birnbaum. "For the past few years, federal discretionary spending has grown by more than 10 percent a year... In particular, security spending has taken off." PR and lobby firms have certainly noticed: "Fleishman-Hillard Inc just opened a marketing department...
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Next month, the U.S. will host the thirtieth G8 Summit, a meeting of the "leaders of the world's major industrial democracies," in Sea Island, Georgia. The setting is "in keeping with President Bush's emphasis on environmental quality" and "will showcase the complementary benefits of environmental stewardship and a strong economy," according to the Summit website.
Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
"Public satisfaction with national conditions has fallen to 33%, its lowest level in eight years, in the wake of revelations of prisoner abuse committed by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq," reports the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. "President Bush's overall job approval rating also has dropped into negative territory: 44% approve of his job performance, while 48% disapprove."
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"To promote America's Army: Overmatch, a free game created by the Army as a recruitment tool, a group of Army Special Forces personnel staged an urban tactical assault exercise outside the [Los Angeles] convention center" hosting the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. The "helicopters, machine guns and face-painted soldiers leaping off tall buildings" startled and even "panicked" passersby. One retired Army major with the game project said: "This game is what we do in reality.
Submitted by Laura Miller on
"Despite budget crunches, poor air quality, maintenance backlogs and other problems, the public is not likely to hear any bad news from staff of the National Park Service (NPS)," BushGreenwatch.org writes.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"Few would debate that the U.S.-led coalition needs some potent PR in Iraq," writes Clayton Collins.
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
How should the U.S. handle torture allegations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Cuba? The Army may use video games. The America's Army game, which is currently used "to train and recruit soldiers... could also be modified to include lessons on prisoner treatment." Reuters reports: "The PC-based game...
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