News In Brief – One Propaganda Investigation Closed, A New One Opens

New Bush Brouhaha – Did Lincoln Group Clear Themselves Of Wrongdoing?

Inquiry Allegedly Finds No Violations; Defense Dept. Now Investigating Who Sent Out Press Release

The Department of Defense said today that an investigation has been opened on one of their vendors, the Lincoln Group, to find out if they sent out a press release, announcing that they had been cleared in a an earlier investigation, as to violating military rules or policies around their work in Iraq.

The Lincoln Group, it was discovered last Fall, was given a contract by the Pentagon to write and plant pro-American and pro-Military stories in the Iraqi media, at times, paying Iraqi reporters and news organizations to run the stories, as their own editorial content, and without the declaration that they were paid pieces.

The earlier investigation was ordered by General George W. Casey Jr., the senior American commander in Iraq.

The finds were that the Lincoln Group broke no rules in paying to have the articles placed, without attribution, since there military rules, or stipulations in their contract with the Pentagon, forbidding it.

Critics have charged that the U.S. Military is conducting a propaganda campaign.

It would up to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the Department of Defense to draw up and institute such rules moving forward.

“Heavens,” said Rumsfeld, when questioned by reporters outside his office. “Don’t you think we have enough rules and regulations? Goodness Gracious, we’re trying to lighten up the military, and fight the terrorists. We don’t really have the time to sit down and look at who wrote this, and who wrote that.”

The Lincoln Group would have no comment, on the ruling, their contract with the Pentagon, or the pending new investigation.

Sources tell The Garlic that, if Lincoln Group did issue the press release that announced they were cleared, it could be a signal that American media outlets were being paid to run Pentagon content.

“This could mean,” said Ann Mitchell, veteran Capital Hill journalist, “that the recent upturn by the President and others, about bashing the media over the Iraq coverage is just a smokescreen.”