Pentagon in global propaganda drive, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1667508,00.html" target="new">The Guardian</a>

The Pentagon is to spend $300m (£170m) planting pro-US messages in media outlets around the world, including those of its allies, without disclosing the US government as their source.

The aim is to sway foreign audiences to support US policies by targeting newspapers, websites, radio and television. T-shirts and bumper stickers will also be produced.

An official from the Pentagon's psychological operations unit said it would not always reveal its role in distributing pro-American messages. Meanwhile, NBC television network claimed to have obtained a secret Pentagon database of US citizens who oppose the Iraq war.