I’m on the record as no fan of al-Hurra, the U.S.-funded television network in the Middle East, but comparing this outreach effort on our part with al-Qaeda’s is horrific. From today’s Washington Post:

Al-Hurra — “The Free One” in Arabic — is the centerpiece of a U.S. government campaign to spread democracy in the Middle East. Taxpayers have spent $350 million on the project. But more than four years after it began broadcasting, the station is widely regarded as a flop in the Arab world, where it has struggled to attract viewers and overcome skepticism about its mission. Propaganda has become a primary front in the war against terrorism, with the United States and al-Qaeda each investing heavily to win over hearts and minds. This article examines one aspect of the U.S. effort to influence people through the airwaves. Tomorrow, another will look at al-Qaeda’s online propaganda campaign.

And the claim that al-Hurra is the “centerpiece of a U.S. government campaign to spread democracy in the Middle East” is just ridiculous. I believe 100,000-plus troops in Iraq would agree with me.