L.A. Times: Military Knew About Planted Iraqi News Stories

'L.A. Times': Military Knew All About Planted Iraqi News Stories
By E&P Staff
Published: December 18, 2005
NEW YORK

Contrary to their denials, U.S. military officials in Iraq were well aware that a Pentagon contractor regularly paid Iraqi newspapers to publish positive stories about the war, Los Angeles Times reporters Mark Mazzetti and Kevin Sack reported on Sunday.

The officials also "made it clear that none of the stories should be traced to the United States," several current and former employees of Lincoln Group, the Washington-based contractor, told the reporters.

"In clandestine parlance, Lincoln Group was a 'cutout' ?- a third party ?- that would provide the military with plausible deniability," said a former Lincoln Group employee who worked on the operation. "To attribute products to [the military] would defeat the entire purpose. Hence, no product by Lincoln Group ever said 'Made in the U.S.A.' "

Other workers called the campaign poorly run and largely ineffective. "In my own estimation, this stuff has absolutely no effect, and it's a total waste of money," said one former employee, echoing the sentiments of others. "Every Iraqi can read right through it."

The Pentagon has ordered an investigation, with a report due in about a week.

The Times noted, "Military officials initially distanced themselves from Lincoln Group's activities, suggesting the company may have violated its contract when it masked the origin of stories placed in the Iraqi press.

"On Dec. 2, Pentagon officials told Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John W. Warner (R-Va.) that all of the published materials were supposed to be identified as originating with the U.S. military but that identification was occasionally omitted by accident.

"But Lincoln Group documents obtained by The Times, along with interviews with military officials and the current and former Lincoln Group employees, show that those who worked on the campaign believed the media products would be far more credible if their origins were disguised.

"Pentagon officials say Warner was given the most accurate information the Pentagon had at the time. "