The Lincoln Group Propaganda Advisors: Michael Rubin Dodges Affiliation, Michael Ledeen Revealed

Firing back at NY Times “insinuations,” "Michael Rubin" filed his protest, “For the Record,” in an article for National Review Online.
http://www.nationalreview.com/rubin/rubin200601050713.asp

According to Rubin, he took exception to suggestions that he did not disclose that the "Lincoln Group" was compensating him when he told reporters he was not surprised that the military was paying to place stories in Iraqi newspapers. “I am not an employee of the Lincoln Group,” claims Rubin, “I have never received a salary from the Lincoln Group. Nor have I received an honorarium.”

The NY Times quoted Rubin as saying, "Normally, when I travel, I receive reimbursement of expenses including a per diem and/or honorarium," and then added "But Mr. Rubin would not comment further on how much in such payments he may have received from Lincoln."

Claims Rubin, “This last statement is false. He (Cloud) ignored offers to show paperwork contradicting his thesis. A Lincoln Group administrator also told him it was false. Cloud rushed the story to print.

“They asked me to look over some products.” Explains Rubin, “I offered suggestions. They either took my advice or did not; I don't know. Because of this Cloud sought to construct an affiliation. He suggested that, because the Lincoln Group had covered my travel, I was an affiliate and had a conflict of interest. I had no inside knowledge either of the Lincoln Group's newspaper program or, for that matter, of its program rewarding anti-incitement activists, the main subject of the January 2 New York Times's story.”

Coming to Rubin’s defense was Stephen Spruiell, another NRO writer, who charged The Times with “smearing Rubin as a propagandist.”

While attacking the NY Times reporters, Mr. Rubin is still trying to hide his actual, long-standing association with LG. Back in the fall of 2004, when LG submitted its original proposal to manage the Army’s Iraq propaganda, Michael Rubin was listed as a "Lincoln Group advisor" "for Iraqi politics."

Although, Lincoln Group had no experience or capabilities in public relations, Rubin signed on as an advisor and played a critical role in helping influence the Army to give the work to LG. After all, Rubin had worked in the "Pentagon’s Office of Special Plans" and surely this was one of those special plans. As LG’s advisor, it’s hard to imagine that he had no inside knowledge of the company’s activities.

The real question is; why did Rubin feel that LG was the best company to perform this work when LG had no qualified staff, no experience and no equipment or facilities. Was this just poor judgment or something else?

Rubin and his associates like to portray the Army’s "propaganda" as pro-US, suggesting that anyone that disapproves is anti-US. Well Mike, I’m pro-US and I believe we needed professional and honest public relations in Iraq and I’m disgusted at what we got instead.

The LG website lists some, but not all, of their so-called advisors. Why are some key names missing? Is it because they fear further insinuations of influence peddling, or are people embarrassed by their poor judgment? Maybe Rubin’s associate, Iran specialist and neo-radical guru, Michael Ledeen can explain why he signed on as an LG advisor and why his name isn’t listed for public view.

Documents show that Rubin and Ledeen were represented as LG advisors, both work for "American Enterprise Institute (AEI)", both are paid contributors to National Review, both claim expertise on Iraq and Iran, but neither admits working with, or for Lincoln Group. And there are others.

“Ledeen's ideas are quoted daily by such figures as Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. His views virtually define the stark departure from American foreign policy philosophy that characterized United States actions since September 11, 2001.... “

—William O. Beeman, "Michael Ledeen: Neoconservative Guru," in The Daily Star, Beirut, Lebanon, May 9, 2003

Executive Intelligence Review published a detailed article by Scott Thompson (11 July 2003) describing Ledeen
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3027ledeen_iran.html,

Among the key points:

1. “Michael Ledeen, [who] divides his time among National Review Online, "JINSA", and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Ledeen is stirring up the networks in Congress and the press, and lining up tainted intelligence to justify war on Iran.

2. “This is the same Michael Ledeen, who, as a consultant to the Reagan-Bush Administration "National Security Council" in the mid-1980s, was a pivotal criminal figure in the "Iran-Contra" fiasco, covertly peddling weapons to the very Ayatollahs whom he is now plotting to overthrow.

“3. “Ledeen, the self-proclaimed "universal fascist," has long been under scrutiny by EIR researchers, as a man who has been in the midst of some of the dirtiest covert intelligence operations of the past 30 years.

4. “In 2001, Ledeen founded the Coalition for Democracy in Iran (CDI), with a call for regime change in that country. Support for the CDI also comes from the Center for Security Policy's Frank Gaffney,”

Note: Mr. Gaffney’s sister "Devon Gaffney Cross" is listed as a Lincoln Group advisor.

5. “Ledeen and his wife Barbara have been part of an "Armaggedon Project" to rebuild Solomon's Third Temple in Jerusalem on al-Haram al-Sharif (a.k.a. "Temple Mount") which is the third most holy site in Islam. The planned destruction of the al-Aqsa Mosque on the Dome of the Rock would unleash unstoppable warfare in the Middle East.” – Scott Thompson, EIR

As Americans watch the unfolding "Jack Abramoff", influence peddling scandal, it should prompt demands for a formal investigation of the Lincoln Group and those individuals and advisors who helped influence the Army, Marines and State Department to award contracts to a firm that was eminently unqualified.

Regretfully, I too was lured into the LG web and, thus, know whereof I write. - Frankie aka Mr. McGoo