Broadcasting The Truth To Iraq
January 11, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Glenn Reynolds points us to a Michelle Malkin post of her incredible photos from her trip Iraq.
This one stood out for me. Pirated satellite dishes in the slums of Baghdad.
Clear evidence that a pillar of America’s public diplomacy and foreign policy to the Arabic speaking world must be satellite TV broadcasting: news, debates, public affairs. The truth. The’re hungry for U.S. international broadcasting in Iran. And this photo shows the need for more in Iraq.
Bomb-a-rama said,
January 11, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
The’re hungry for U.S. international broadcasting in Iran.
There’s opportunity here. Too bad that the Bush Administration appears not to be taking advantage of it.
Peach said,
January 11, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
http://www.americanthinker.com/2006/10/richard_armitage_and_the_quiet.html
Rumors abounded for years that he and Secretary of State Colin Powell regularly undermined the Administration and its plans in countless other ways respecting Iraq. Most of those claims are not capable of proof because they consisted of anonymous information supplied to reporters and others. But one case breaks that mold: the killing of Liberty TV.
Legislation was passed funding Liberty TV, a channel to be aimed at Iraqi and other Arab audiences. The President signed the budget authorizing it to start spending the Treasury’s funds. The political branches of government had spoken. Yet Liberty TV never saw the light of day.
nick said,
January 11, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
SHIA SHIITE?
OF COURSE YOU LEAVE THAT OFF!
Daniel Wiener said,
January 11, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
I never understood why the U.S. allowed Iraq TV and radio stations to continue broadcasting Baghdad Bob press conferences and other propaganda after the invasion started. Logically, the first order of business should have been to triangulate on all such signal sources, eliminate them with smart bombs or cruise missiles, and then immediately set up high-power stations on those same frequencies to saturate Iraq with our own news and propaganda in their languages.
This is the 21st century. Does no one in Washington understand that modern wars are information wars as much as anything? (Unfortunately that’s a rhetorical question.)
Peach said,
January 11, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
Daniel
Read the link I left above (the under reported scandal):
In 1999, then—President Clinton designated the INC as an organization eligible to receive funds under the Act. In that same year, ‘the Iraqi National Congress Support Foundation (INCSF) was established to provide an organizational structure for Department of State funding.
[snip]
Despite Congressional support, adequate appropriations and the support of two Presidents, the program was never fully funded, and the record shows that the principal reason for this was the animus of Richard Armitage to the INC and the ease with which the bureaucratic apparatus was jiggered to thwart Congressional and Presidential will.
Killing the Program
On January 18, 2002, Richard Armitage was working to cut off all funds to finance Liberty TV. In a meeting with representatives from the Near East Affairs Office (NEA) of the State Department (Mr. Krajeski and Ms. Lempert and Portz), the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the State Department, NEA’s Deputy Director announced they were cutting off all funds to the INC.
[snip]
the U.S. invaded Iraq, and without Liberty TV able to function as Congress and the White House intended, for the restrictions placed on it by Armitage proved impossible. The only nationwide TV available was beamed in from Iran and Al—Jazeera and constituted round—the—clock anti—Coalition broadcasts.
The occupation had no way to compete in the important information war.
—–
When you go back a catalog all the efforts made to undermine the war effort before it even started and then look at the state of things today - you find yourself smacking fist to forehead saying “No wonder”
http://www.americanthinker.com/2006/10/richard_armitage_and_the_quiet.html
ajacksonian said,
January 11, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
I believe the satellite dish has been called: ‘The National Flower of Iraq’
It is, indeed, everywhere and highly popular from the images I have seen from there, too…
Ken said,
January 11, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
Hey! Just thought someone here might want to check. but isn’t the Arab news Channel Al-Hurra funded by our US Government? I have a friend that works there and I’m almost positive he said the majority of their funding comes from the US Government. They have an Arab language channel and an English langauge channel. Website is Alhurra.com.. The following is driectly from their website.
Alhurra is operated by non-profit corporation “The Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.” (MBN). MBN is financed by the American people through the U.S Congress.
MBN receives this funding from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent and autonomous federal agency. The BBG serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.
Rice A. Roni said,
January 11, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
“(T)he Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent and autonomous federal agency. The BBG serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.”
First of all “Ken” — if that is your real name — how come if the “Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent and autonomous federal agency” are such you just quit because you could not stand the heat from them ankle grabbing Liberals on Das Hill?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/09/AR2007010901491_pf.html
Second of all: we don’t need no stinking “firewall” to get our message across. Bunker Busters should do that.
Last but not least:
“I have concluded that it would be far more constructive to write a book on my experiences rather than to seek to continue government service,” Tomlinson wrote. “Accordingly, I ask that you nominate another person to serve as chairman of this board.”
Right: go write a “book” nobody wants to read.
Why don’t you & the BBG leave the propaganda stuff to the WW II Japs (ala Tokyo Rose). Who gives a crap in an internet age what the USA has to say let alone wasting taxpayers’ money trying to convine them to think like Right Americans. If they don’t get it already, they never will.
The only “message” the USA should be “broadcasting” is: stay away from old Al Kyda and you will do fine & clean up your own damm messes.
Gotta agree with Daniel Wiener when he says: “eliminate them with smart bombs or cruise missiles” but not with “then immediately set up high-power stations on those same frequencies to saturate Iraq with our own news and propaganda in their languages.”
The only thing the USA should be broadcasting — ala the aforementioned Tokyo Rose — is: stay away from Al Kyda or we will obliterate you”.
Period.
Tantor said,
January 11, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
We absolutely should institute a “Baywatch” strategy to capture the attention of the entertainment-starved Iraqi masses. The commercials should have Pamela Anderson cooing about how democracy is the sexiest thing under the sun and guys who vote turn her on. Then we pile on with the “Sex & The City” strategy.
Alt Delete said,
January 12, 2007 @ 10:44 am
Wow: this survived? What are you: asleep?
Rice A. Roni said,
January 11, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
“(T)he Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent and autonomous federal agency. The BBG serves as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters.”
First of all “Ken” — if that is your real name — how come if the “Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent and autonomous federal agency” are such you just quit because you could not stand the heat from them ankle grabbing Liberals on Das Hill?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/09/AR2007010901491_pf.html
Second of all: we don’t need no stinking “firewall” to get our message across. Bunker Busters should do that.
Last but not least:
“I have concluded that it would be far more constructive to write a book on my experiences rather than to seek to continue government service,” Tomlinson wrote. “Accordingly, I ask that you nominate another person to serve as chairman of this board.”
Right: go write a “book” nobody wants to read.
Why don’t you & the BBG leave the propaganda stuff to the WW II Japs (ala Tokyo Rose). Who gives a crap in an internet age what the USA has to say let alone wasting taxpayers’ money trying to convine them to think like Right Americans. If they don’t get it already, they never will.
The only “message” the USA should be “broadcasting” is: stay away from old Al Kyda and you will do fine & clean up your own damm messes.
Gotta agree with Daniel Wiener when he says: “eliminate them with smart bombs or cruise missiles” but not with “then immediately set up high-power stations on those same frequencies to saturate Iraq with our own news and propaganda in their languages.”
The only thing the USA should be broadcasting — ala the aforementioned Tokyo Rose — is: stay away from Al Kyda or we will obliterate you”.
Period.