Ya Think?

Many U.S. military analysts used as commentators on Iraq by television networks have been groomed by the Pentagon, leaving some feeling they were manipulated to report favorably on the Bush administration, The New York Times said in Sunday editions.

A Times report examining ties between the Bush administration and former senior officers who acted as paid TV analysts said they got private briefings, trips and access to classified intelligence meant to influence their comments.

  MSNBC

But they resisted, of course.

Some analysts said they had suppressed doubts about the situation in Iraq for fear of jeopardizing their access.

I’ve seen this excuse offered from overseas reporting to White House press corps. What’s the point? That they will lose access to more lies???

"Records and interviews show how the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform the analysts into a kind of media Trojan horse — an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks," the newspaper said.

This is not news. This is the real lesson learned from Viet Nam. Control the media.

The Times article.