Voice of Free Iraq Walks Out on U.S.

[kskiska]

A broadcaster who became known as "the voice of free Iraq" after the fall of Saddam Hussein has walked out of his job, saying the United States is losing the propaganda war.

Failure to invest in the new Iraqi broadcasting service means foreign channels are gaining popularity at the expense of the US, Ahmed al-Rikabi, the American-appointed director of TV and radio said yesterday.

"The people of Iraq, including the Sunni Muslims, are not about to turn against their liberators, but they are being incited to do so. These channels contribute to tension within Iraq," he said.

Saddam is scoring propaganda successes over the Americans by sending audio tapes to Arab satellite channels, Mr Rikabi continued.

(snip)

The best-paid journalist got a salary of $120 a month, compared with the minimum of $500 a month paid by other Arab networks, he added.

There was also a clothing allowance for newsreaders, but only to clothe the visible top half of their bodies.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1013109,00.html

[Rose Siding]

1. 120/mo for 16 hour days?

Must be a pilot program the rethugs are developing for the US workforce. Does that come with a pension? :silly:

They only paid to clothe the top half. How humiliatingly pathetic is that?

[dArKeR]

2. Again very important news from U.K. and not the U.S. Media Whores

The type of facts you could use in a RICO case.

[mhr]

3. One Wonders

Where the 4 Billion dollars per month is going, certainly not the news readers.

[TacticalPeek]

4. Makes sense. Half a wardrobe goes quite well with

half a plan based on half a policy made by someone with half a brain.

[pretzel4gore]

5. :-)(-:

haha...half a gain!

[w4rma]

6. Wow, BushCo* can't even do the propaganda in Iraq, correctly

And propaganda is their only real strong point.

[alaine]

10. Yes, and this makes American conservatives look even

stupider than they already are, in comparison.

[NashVegas]

7. Clothing Allowances and Radio Broadcasters

Please. Just ship 'em some t-shirts and shorts and you've got the basic uniform.

[librechik]

8. underneath: no pants!

no, that was Jon Stewart and Conan.

[mistertrickster]

9. First problem--they don't work for Halliburton

If the guy would just get hired by Halliburton, his salary would skyrocket to 250,000 a year plus housing, travel allowance, health care, pension, etc.

Bush folks aren't too good about paying people outside "da family."

[Rex]

11. But but but, I thought Saddam was 'irrelevant'.

Boy is he sneaky! You know why the won't catch him? If they do, then U.S. forces (and the media) won't be able to say, "pro-Saddam forces yadda yadda..." Gotta keep the boogieman alive so Rove can use him as a tool.