Propaganda

06/09/2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sens. John Kerry, Bob Menendez, Byron Dorgan, and Frank Lautenberg today introduced legislation that will prohibit the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) from using appropriated funds for propaganda and will require the DoD Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to deliver reports to Congress within 90 days.    » read more »

May 27, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC — Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General’s announcement of an investigation into reports of Pentagon manipulation of independent military analysts:

“We welcome the DOD Inspector General’s decision to investigate whether the Pentagon unduly influenced the commentary of independent television military analysts. We called for this investigation last month because the American people need information they can trust to make their own informed judgments. It is critical to find out if the Pentagon was manipulating independent analysts, especially if the Pentagon used government contracts as a means of influence.”    » read more »

20 April 2008 -- The New York Times newspaper reports the Pentagon used military analysts working for U.S. television networks to generate favorable coverage of the war in Iraq and other issues.

The newspaper Sunday said the analysts were invited to private briefings with senior military leaders, taken on tours of Iraq and given access to classified intelligence.

Fox News gift store at Houston airport: Photo by ario_j (CC)

The Times also said viewers were not made aware that most of the analysts have ties to military contractors. Many of the analysts are retired high-ranking military officials.    » read more »