After 22 months of successful major combat operations and racking up a series of victories over terrorists and irregular fighters in Iraqi cities, the US has apparently grown tired of taking it on the chin when it comes to the information war.  The Washington Times reports that an alternative Arab language TV station called Alhurra ("the free one") was established this past spring in an attempt to counter the info dominance of Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya in the Central Region.  The report states the station was,

Begun this spring as part of a strategic, U.S.—backed media offensive against terrorism in Iraq and the Middle East, and bankrolled with more than $100 million in federal funding, Alhurra TV's mission is to explain and promote democracy throughout the war—torn region, with its chief focus on the Jan. 30 elections that could decide Iraq's future and, with it, the success of the U.S. military mission there.

Naturally, the left—leaning Brookings Institution is critical of this effort.  Peter W. Singer, director of the Brookings Institution's Project on U.S. Policy Towards the Islamic World said,

"Alhurra does not have that great a credibility in a region where the U.S. link is damaging.  It is viewed as a U.S. government mouthpiece"

So it's OK for Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya to be the mouthpieces for Islamo—fascists, but it's not OK for Iraqis to broadcast news stories about the positive news in Iraq and to encourage ordinary Iraqis to vote.  What more can I say about an organization that has Strobe Talbott and Zoe Baird sitting  on its Board of Trustees?

We wish Alhurra all the best and thank them for their courage in getting the truth out to Iraqi citizens.  The staff members face a daunting task in an environment where terrorists will stop at nothing to prevent the establishment of a democracy, and, as election day draws closer, information operations will be one of the most critical battles to fight and win. 

Doug Hanson  12—30—04