Lieutenant Colonel Barry Johnson, a military spokesman in Iraq, said that third parties -- which would include the Washington-based Lincoln Group -- were used to market the stories to reduce the risk to the publishers.
''If any part of our process does not have our full confidence, we will examine that activity and take appropriate action," he said in a statement. ''If any contractor is failing to perform as we have intended, we will take appropriate action.
He also defended the program as critical to the war effort.
''The information battlespace in Iraq is contested at all times and is filled with misinformation and propaganda by an enemy intent on discrediting the Iraqi government and the coalition, and who are taking every opportunity to instill fear and intimidate the Iraqi people," his statement said.
Leaving a Pentagon meeting with Defense Department officials in Washington, Warner said the program was a serious problem.
But Warner continued, ''Things like this happen. It's a war. The disinformation that's going on in that country is really affecting the effectiveness of what we're achieving, and we have no recourse but to try and do some rebuttal information."
General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added, ''We want to get the facts out. We want to get the truth out."
Warner met with chief Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita and members of Pace's staff, but only happened to meet Pace on his way out of the building.
Meanwhile, a Pentagon spokesman said yesterday that it was not clear whether the program violated the law or Pentagon policy.
''You can do something perfectly legal, but that is inconsistent with the policy or procedures of the department. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's the right thing to do," said spokesman Bryan Whitman.
He said the department is still gathering information on the matter.
Warner initially requested a Capitol Hill briefing for the committee, but committee spokesman John Ullyot said those plans were changed ''at the Pentagon's request."
