Congressman Plans Propaganda Hearings

"Congressman Christopher Shays wants to know how U.S. propaganda efforts are being received on the 'Arab Street.'" O'Dwyer's PR reports. "The Connecticut Republican plans hearings Oct. 8 to explore to what extent the State Dept.'s public diplomacy 'understands Arab and Muslim social and political thought.'" Harold Pachios, chairman of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, the State Dept.'s Chris Ross, and Hafez Al-Mirazi, Al-Jazeera's Washington, D.C., bureau chief are scheduled to appear before the National Security, Veteran Affairs and International Affairs subcommittee. Former Rand Corporation Laurent Murawiec is also expected to appear. "He is the analyst who briefed a secret meeting of the Defense Policy Board in August, and advocated the overthrow of the Saudi Arabian government," writes O'Dwyers. State Department "Public Diplomacy" head Charlotte Beers is not scheduled to testify.