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| Iraq |
| Recent Merkin Psyops |
| 2003-03-11 |
| US-backed psychological operations inside Iraq appear to have intensified with the launch of a new propaganda radio station, New Scientist can reveal. The broadcasts target the elite troops of the Iraqi army and the country's oil workers. The new radio station is called Sawt al-Tahrir al-Iraq, meaning Voice of Iraqi Liberation. The station broadcasts programmes twice a day, at 0630 and 1830 GMT at the radio frequencies 1206 and 4025 kHz. Analysing the power of the station's signal allowed MÀkelÀinen and a radio enthusiast in Egypt, Tarek Zeidan, to trace it a broadcasting base in Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq. This outpost is used by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the dissident political groups in the region, to broadcast another program - Voice of the People of Kurdistan. Shortly after this show ends, the new Iraqi one begins. The Voice of Iraqi Liberation does not identify who is behind the transmissions - so-called grey propaganda. But its broadcasts tell members of the Republican Guard to defy Saddam Hussein's orders and join with coalition forces in building a new Iraq. "Don't listen to the orders of the dictator, don't shoot those who came to liberate you," said one programme. "Look forward to a bright and happy future of Iraq." Iraqi oil workers have also been warned against sabotaging oil reserves: "The oil wells and government installations belong only to the Iraqi people, and any deliberate damage to these sites will be considered as a capital crime. The next regime and government in Iraq will put on trial all those who participate in the execution of those orders as war criminals." MÀkelÀinen, who operates the website DXing.info for radio-tracking enthusiasts, says the origin of the station can easily be determined from its content. "One way or another I'd say the American's are involved," he told New Scientist. "It could be indirectly, by channelling money to opposition groups inside Kurdistan, or they could just as well be producing the programmes. They sound rather professional." The US military already broadcasts propaganda from aircraft flying near Iraq. Another radio station discovered in February 2003 appears to be broadcasting so-called black propaganda. Radio Tikrit started off supporting Saddam Hussein, but changed its stance after a couple of weeks to become highly critical of the Iraqi president and his government. GOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING IRAQ! |
| Posted by:----------<<<<-- |
| #2 Looks like Commando Solo has shown up to broadcast Iraqi Top 40. That's usually a bad sign for whoever's on the ground. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-03-11 13:00:56 |
| #1 "Iraqi oil workers have also been warned against sabotaging oil reserves." I don't think I'm being paranoid thinking New Scientist couldn't resist implying the radio station's preoccupied with safeguarding Iraq's oil supplies. NS has a fairly left-wing aganda, as evidenced by the fact that loony left geriatric technophobe MP Tam "I've never used email and I'm proud of it" Dalyell writes the magazine's parliamentary reports. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-03-11 12:54:56 |