Islamic Leaders Were Paid to Aid U.S. Propaganda

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 - A Pentagon contractor that paid Iraqi newspapers to print positive articles written by American soldiers has also been compensating Sunni religious scholars in Iraq in return for assistance with its propaganda work, according to current and former employees.

Since then, the company has retained three or four Sunni religious scholars to offer advice and write reports for military commanders on the content of propaganda campaigns, the former employee said. But documents and Lincoln executives say the company's ties to religious leaders and dozens of other prominent Iraqis is aimed also at enabling it to exercise influence in Iraqi communities on behalf of clients, including the military.

"We do reach out to clerics," Paige Craig, a Lincoln executive vice president, said in an interview. "We meet with local government officials and with local businessmen. We need to have relationships that are broad enough and deep enough that we can touch all the various aspects of society."

"We have on staff people who are experts in religious and cultural matters," Mr. Craig said. "We meet with a wide variety of people to get their input. Most of the people we meet with overseas don't want or need compensation, they want a dialogue."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/02/politics/02propaganda.html?hp&ex=1136178000&en=f7f1307bf9a089f2&ei=5094&partner=homepage
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Now this is going to really inflame the Sunni community.

Yep, success is just around the corner :eyes:

While loudly and longly claiming goals of freedom and democracy, they attempt to undermine freedom and democracy through government control of the media.

Wow...we are doing a lot to undermine democracy, aren't we?

As much as it pains me to say this, Bu*h represents me. OHMYGOD I need a shower.

is that it never solves the problems. It only wastes time, wastes money, and makes the Islamic world more pissed at us, if that's possible.

appear more trustworthy at a time when extremism of any kind is our worst enemy.

"...that we can touch all the various aspects of society."

So, what't the going price for that in Iraq? I bet Armstrong Williams will be pissed to find out Iraq clerics were getting a better rate.