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May 6, 2009

Pentagon Withdraws Exoneration of Iraq War Propaganda Program
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The Pentagon’s inspector general’s office has withdrawn a report that
exonerated military leaders for a propaganda program ahead of the Iraq
war. Beginning in 2002, the Pentagon recruited more than seventy-five
retired military officers to appear on TV outlets as so-called military
analysts to portray Iraq as an urgent threat. In January, the Pentagon’s
inspector general dismissed allegations the program violated laws
barring propaganda and rejected reports showing the analysts used their
Pentagon access to win government contracts for defense companies. On
Tuesday, the Pentagon admitted the report was flawed and even removed it
from its website.



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