An Honest Radio Voice

The United States will have to launch propaganda along with missiles and bombs in the war against terrorism. The false portrayals of Osama bin Laden and his acolytes as defenders of Islam must be rebutted. But this should not come at the expense of the Voice of America’s editorial independence.

The VOA has spent decades building a worldwide reputation for objective reporting. It was invented to bring reliable news to countries ravaged by World War II and later to those behind the Iron Curtain. Treating it now as a mouthpiece for U.S. policy, as some in Washington seem to desire, would squander a precious asset.

The Voice of America charter, written into law in 1976, is to provide news that is “accurate, objective and comprehensive.” Let the frank advocacy of other U.S. broadcasting outlets, such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, tell the story Washington’s way.

The VOA broadcasts in 52 languages in addition to English. Among those are Pushtu and Dari, the main languages of Afghanistan. It should step up these broadcasts, plus others aimed at Uzbekistan, where U.S. troops are now positioned.

Listeners around the world can detect lies or one-sided tales. The VOA charter says the agency will “present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.”

Soon after Sept. 11, the VOA obtained an interview with Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban leader. The State Department tried to block its broadcast. Parts of it were used in a news report that included a speech by President Bush and remarks by foes of the Taliban, but the interview inflamed critics.

The Bush administration’s choice to head the organization, longtime VOA executive Robert R. Reilly, promises that the integrity of the news operation will not be compromised.

The agency does broadcast editorials, which are properly billed as the views of the U.S. government and which Reilly oversaw for 10 years. The flavor of some recent editorials can be seen in their headlines: “Bin Laden’s Lies” and “Taliban, Perversion of Islam.”

Part of Washington’s campaign in Afghanistan is dropping leaflets and broadcasting announcements repeating Washington’s message that the war is against terror, not a nation or its people. The Voice of America, by carrying on with unbiased news broadcasts, can continue to present another face of democracy, the one where ideas compete and vile pronouncements of terrorists are overwhelmed by truth.