US newspapers barraged with same letter from different soldiers

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Original URL: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=12049


US newspapers barraged with same letter from different soldiers

Gutterwatch Astroturf phenomenon strikes again

By INQUIRER staff: Sunday 12 October 2003, 08:10
A NEWSPAPER has noticed that several US media have published identical
letters from soldiers based in Iraq but which are signed by different
people.

And many of the letters have already been published in US newspapers.

The latest case of so-called "astroturf" is reminiscent of a story we
broke in January - Google hunts down "President Bush is demonstrating
genuine leadership".

It transpired then that the Republican Party was behind the
"astroturf".

According to The Olympian, it received two identical letters from
different soldiers in the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne Infantry
Regiment, but on doing a news search discovered identical letters in
11 different newspapers.

The letters paint a positive picture about how Iraq is returning to
normal. But according to the Olympian, polls show that support for the
war is dropping in the USA.

On investigation, the newspaper discovered that the soldiers named in
the letters do exist, but the individuals don't know why the letters
were sent under their names to a number of newspapers. One squaddie
didn't find out about the letter until his father read a letter signed
by his son in his local West Virginian newspaper.

A Google search by the INQ shows only two online newspapers so far
including one of the key phrases: "The quality of life and security
for the citizens has been largely restored, and we are a large part of
why that has happened."

The Olympian searched for other incidences, using the Gannett News
Service, and claims it discovered 11 identical letters were published
by the group. It owns 100 daily newspapers in the USA including USA
Today. It also controls 22 television stations and owns 300 titles in
the United Kingdom.

One of the US newspapers it owns is The Olympian.

Gannett also owns the Army Times Publishing Company, which publishes a
number of titles including the Army Times, the Armed Forces Journal,
the Navy Times, the Marine Corps Times, the Air Force Times, the
Federal Times, Defense News and Military City.

The Google links are to the Register-Herald and the Pittsburgh Daily
Courier.

The Olympian says one soldier, Shawn Grueser of Poca, West Virginia,
told a report he had talked to a military public relations officer
about the war, but thought he was contributing to a press release by
the US military, rather than signing a letter. 

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