CNN just did a story about the American government paying for favorable press in the Iraqi media. They put on a good show about being shocked by this kind of thing. And then they slid into a discussion that I sure hope someone in the Pentagon paid for.
Barbara Starr was talking about a report that the American military is apparently paying cash to Iraq newspapers to run positive news about "reconstruction" "liberation" and all those other patented examples of American Imperial Goodness. Ms. Starr did a great job with the story, explaining that this crosses lines and the implications that it could then have. When she was done, the anchor asked a follow up or tow and then said "And what's the lastes with those adorable cheetah cubs?" Barbara then put on her school marm smile and they cut to footage of two Cheetah cubs that were apparently found being abused in Ethiopia. She then giddily reported that "American special forces" swooped in and took thes animals to safety. How much do you think the Pentagon would pay for that item to run in a Baghdad daily>