AP CEO: Bush administration turned the U.S. military into a global propaganda machine

[bigtree]

February 06, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Bush administration turned the U.S. military into a global propaganda machine while imposing tough restrictions on journalists seeking to give the public truthful reports about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Associated Press chief executive Tom Curley said Friday.

Curley, speaking to journalists at the University of Kansas, said the news industry must immediately negotiate a new set of rules for covering war because "we are the only force out there to keep the government in check and to hold it accountable."

Much like in Vietnam, "civilian policymakers and soldiers alike have cracked down on independent reporting from the battlefield" when the news has been unflattering, Curley said. "Top commanders have told me that if I stood and the AP stood by its journalistic principles, the AP and I would be ruined . . ."


His remarks came a day after an AP investigation disclosed that the Pentagon is spending at least $4.7 billion this year on "influence operations" and has more than 27,000 employees devoted to such activities. At the same time, Curley said, the military has grown more aggressive in withholding information and hindering reporters.


Curley acknowledged that upon taking office, President Barack Obama rolled back many of the policies instituted by George W. Bush. But he said when the Pentagon faces difficulties again — perhaps in Afghanistan, with the new administration's focus on it — experience has shown, "the military gets tough on the journalists."

read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hgR0BhkQ5f1cKtQ-q5cNFoJEeYgQD966AF900


related:

Media, Pentagon Spar Over Control of Information
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003939126

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Can we start locking them up in prison yet? What is it going to take?

[brentspeak]

2. Too bad AP didn't report on this like 6 years ago

[Parker CA]

7. Knowing the * way of work, I wouldn't be surprised if "ruined" was spelled out in more deadly terms.

Absolutely outrageous, but better late than never for this gentleman to speak out. Unfortunately it is of no real surprise that the evil hands of * et al would go to such lengths to cover their actions.

[defendandprotect]

10. All of these news outlets changed hands over past decades . . .

and into rather negative directions ...

tho I'm not up on who owns what anymore.

However, I can just as easily suppose that AP was "Bushed" in their decision to hold

back on this ---

[nichomachus]

11. The AP is owned by the newspapers -- the newspapers are owned by a handful

or corporations.

[G_j]

3. worse than pork

more like poison

[bigtree]

4. .

[SergeyDovlatov]

5. So, why didn't AP CEO say so back in 2001 when it could have helped to ...

avoid hundreds of thousands of death?

[bigtree]

6. Curley was named president and chief executive office of the Associated Press on June 1, 2003.

"Curley has established programs to encourage and celebrate exceptional journalism. AP became the first western news agency to open a bureau in Pyongang, North Korea, and added staff in Latin American, Asia and the Mideast, including Iraq where AP has more than a hundred journalists.

Curley first outlined his plan for increased open government in May, 2004, calling on news industry colleagues to do more to protect freedom of information. "The powerful have to be watched, and we are the watchers," he said in his hallmark Hays Press Enterprise lecture, which can be read at http://www.ap.org/pages/about/whatsnew/hayspress.html

That year, the Associated Press also played a critical role in the establishment of a coalition of news organizations and journalism-related groups to promote accessible, accountable and open government. The Washington, D.C.-based Sunshine in Government Initiative seeks to combat what Curley and other media groups see as increased government secrecy since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

After Sunshine Week 2005, Curley told the National Freedom of Information Coalition that "the most important battle lines are drawn and the greatest advances on FOI have been made in your bailiwicks -- in county seats and city halls and statehouses." AP handles more than 40 actions a year to assure journalists have access to events, proceedings and information and, under Curley, has led the way in seeking information on the hundreds of detainees being held nameless and incommunicado at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

During Sunshine Week 2006, Curley was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame. In July 2006, the National Press Club presented Curley with its John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award for extraordinary efforts to raise awareness and strengthen support for freedom of information issues . . .


http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/cs/ContentServer/jrn/1165270092570/page/1175372757073/simplepage.htm

[Hubert Flottz]

8. The neocons might not have been card carrying NAZIS but

they went by the NAZI playbook most of the time and they will keep right on doing it if Obama and congress don't stop it.

Karl Rove operated just exactly like the NAZI political ramrods did. Rush is still doing the same old shit. So is FOX.

[defendandprotect]

9. The Democrats need to hire more prosecutors, investigators ---

and get on with it quickly ---

Only our democracy is at stake -- !!!

[SpiralHawk]

12. Republicons need to stop spewing their anti-American propaganda

and Get Over their dream of a Totalitarian HOMELAND.

This is America, and we are keeping it -- despite republicons.

[Octafish]

13. Don't worry Amerika. Corporate McPravda is by your side.

[Downtown Hound]

14. LOL, he says now

After Bush has left office. What a coward. Hey Tom, I worked for ABC in 2003, and I eventually left for that reason. Why didn't you speak out?

[many a good man]

15. US Military conducting Psy-Ops against the American people

By KEVIN ZEESE

Sam Gardiner has taught strategy and military operations at the National War College, Air War College and Naval War College. He was recently a visiting scholar at the Swedish Defence College. During Gulf II he was a regular on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer as well as on BBC radio and television, and National Public Radio. He authored “The Enemy is Us” an article describing how the Bush Administration used disinformation and psychological warfare – weapons usually used against the 'enemy' – against the American public in order to support the war in Iraq. He has done an extensive analysis of the media coverage before the war, during the war and during the occupation as well as of the statements of Administration officials. His conclusions are startling and of great concern. He has put his findings in a report entitled: “Truth from These Podia.”

http://www.counterpunch.org/zeese06222005.html

Truth from These Podia
Summary of a Study of Strategic Influence, Perception Management,
Strategic Information Warfare and Strategic Psychological Operations
in Gulf II
Sam Gardiner
Colonel, USAF (Retired)

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB177/Info%20Op...