Adding to the frustration of the USA, two of its allies in Iraq are set to pull out their forces this month, while others are considering possible troop withdrawals or reductions. According to the AP, Bulgaria and Ukraine will start withdrawing their combined 1,250 troops by mid-December. So far, 18 Ukrainian soldiers and 13 Bulgarians died in Iraq.
Meanwhile, there have been growing calls to investigate the Pentagon's program to pay Iraqi newspapers and journalists to plant favorable stories about the war and rebuilding effort.
Citing increasing concerns about the matter, the Senate Armed Services Committee summoned Defense Department officials to Capitol Hill for a briefing Friday. "I am concerned about any actions that may undermine the credibility of the United States as we help the Iraqi people stand up a democracy," said Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va..
According to Reuters, U.S. task force has written articles with positive messages about the U.S. role in Iraq that have been translated from English into Arabic and planted in Iraqi newspapers in return for money. The Pentagon closed its Office of Strategic Influence in 2002 after reports that it planned to plant false news stories with foreign media outlets.
