Baghdad residents hit by robo-calls....good grief

[AnnInLa]

Baghdad Residents Hit By Robo Calls
By Paul Kiel - December 15, 2006, 12:26 PM

Who says we're not spreading democracy in Iraq?

Not long after Republicans harrassed tens of thousands of Americans with automated phone messages in November's election, news comes that the robo call, that staple of American democracy, is being deployed in Iraq. And it's literally terrorizing city residents.

Nir Rosen of the new blog Iraqslogger reports, calling it a "mysterious psychological operations campaign," that Baghdad residents have reported "receiving phone calls that the caller ID shows to be originating from outside Iraq." What follows is a "recorded message from an anonymous man speaking formal Arabic" who goes on to condemn the Mahdi Army, the Shiite militia headed by the powerful cleric Muqtada al Sadr that's been a continual thorn in the U.S.'s side.

The Mahdi Army has also infiltrated police ranks, and run assassination squads. Fearing that the militia's inside men have access to wiretapping technology, ordinary Iraqis live in fear that their robocall will be picked up and intepreted as proof they are anti-Mahdi -- and face execution at the militia's hands. The call reportedly left one Iraqi woman in tears.

Like the non-lethal American variety of robo call, the source of the Iraqi calls has been cloaked, and no one has figured out where they're coming from. Or how to stop them.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002155.php

[Bobbie Jo]

1. Par for the course....

As it worked so well for the republiks here. :sarcasm:

Yet another proven strategy for VICTORY! Go Team! :patriot:

[maxsolomon]

2. mission accomplished

the job is complete, etc.

perhaps the arabs will soon learn that what they hate isn't americans, it's american corporations.

[jgraz]

3. Badhdad has phone service?

See -- the liberal media never report the GOOD NEWS about this war!

:sarcasm:, natch

[bullimiami]

4. what republican connected company got the bloated contract for this one?

[Robbien]

5. Probably part of Lincoln Groups $20 mil package deal

If there is any way to harrass an Iraqi the GOP gang will find it.

[Dudley_DUright]

6. This is so stupid as to be criminal

I wonder if they call you back 10+ times in the middle of the night if you hang up?