Politics

Old "News" About Untapped Afghan Minerals

By Steve Horn

Heralded by General David Petraeus as news that may have "stunning potential," the New York Times reported that the "United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserve, and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials."

One could take the story at face value and believe that this was actually, for once, a positive development in an increasingly unpopular and seemingly unnecessary war, but then "the real news" about the news came out. On the same day, after doing a bit of his own research, Paul Jay, CEO and Senior Editor of The Real News Network revealed that indeed, because "news" is supposed to be about a new development, this wasn't news at all, but merely well-timed strategic propaganda on the part of the U.S. government.

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Full post as published by PR Watch on June 15, 2010 (boomark / email).