How Much War Propaganda Can AFP Cram Into a 10-Sentence Article?

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Activist Post

As many of our readers know, Activist Post features a mainstream news feed from Agence France-Presse (AFP). Typically they have much edgier news than Associated Press or Reuters, but by simply reporting State Department releases they also push a lot of imperial propaganda.

Although we are authorized to publish up to ten articles a day, we have never published our maximum limit because many of the stories are loaded with warmongering lies — especially regarding Libya. AFP prevents us from editorializing titles and discourages “editor’s notes” even though we add them from time to time.

The article below just came across our news feed and it’s so off base from the on-the-ground reporting in Libya that it could not be posted without this preamble. In defense of AFP, most of the rhetoric are direct quotes from the State Department, but perhaps the most ridiculous propaganda is spewed by an unnamed “AFP correspondent” who claims “rebels arrived in the capital (Tripoli) in a 100-vehicle convoy by late afternoon and were greeted with cheers by residents.”

Read this ten-sentence article and try to not vomit on the gross distortions. We’ll let your comments pick apart the inconsistencies.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US State Department said Sunday that the “offensive for Tripoli is underway” as rebel lines advanced on the Libyan capital and US officials were in “close communication” with the rebel alliance.

The US administration was “closely monitoring the situation in Libya,” said US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “are being briefed regularly, and we are in close communication with the TNC, our allies and partners,” she said.

“Clearly the offensive for Tripoli is underway,” and if Kadhafi “cared about the welfare of the Libyan people, he would step down now,” she added.

The White House predicted earlier Sunday that Moamer Kadhafi’s days as leader of Libya were numbered.

Obama received a briefing from senior national security staffer John Brennan at his rented farmhouse on the resort island of Martha’s Vineyard, which included inputs from a US team in rebel stronghold Benghazi.

The State Department said Washington continued “efforts to encourage the TNC (Transitional National Council) to maintain broad outreach across all segments of Libyan society and to plan for post-Kadhafi Libya.”

Libyan rebels were launching a fierce battle for Tripoli, as reinforcements joined them for a final push to oust Kadhafi.

After fighting their way from the west, other rebels arrived in the capital in a 100-vehicle convoy by late afternoon and were greeted with cheers by residents, an AFP correspondent said. (© AFP)

PLEASE comment below on what you think is the most ridiculous part of this article.