Odd Coincidence

The Iraqi wife of a Voice of America spokesperson drove to Crawford, Texas to oppose Cindy Sheehan's calls for troop withdrawls. She said she just had to come to Crawford to ask Sheehan to stop, that the soldiers had died to free her country and that they should stay to help the Iraqi people.

She was interviewed on Hardball and her statements were reported in some news outlets.

For those who aren't aware, Voice of America is a U.S. propaganda producer. It's most famous for broadcasting to those trapped behind the Iron Curtain during the cold war. It frequently made appearances in spy novels from the period, where it would broadcast coded messages to agents.

Given the floating rumors of a possible troop reduction and the President's attempts to slap down any such speculation, the appearance of an Iraqi-American married to an employee of a U.S. propaganda operation opposing calls for a pull out certainly tingle the radar.

Don't misunderstand me, VOA has done a great job over the years and has contributed much to positive impressions of America abroad. They played a crucial role during the Cold War and will likely play as significant a role in our current struggle with militant anti-modern islamic fundamentalists and the communities they draw support from. They are an important part of our foreign diplomacy. They are not a news organization but a marketing group. That said, they don't broadcast fiction, merely properly presented press releases.

- Murphy