http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/04/internat.../04ARAB.html?th
The rage against the United States is fed by this steady diet of close-up color photographs and television footage of dead and wounded Iraqis, described as victims of American bombs. In recent days, more and more Arabic newspapers have run headlines bluntly accusing soldiers of deliberately killing civilians.
Even for those accustomed to seeing such images from Arab coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the daily barrage of war coverage in newspapers and on hourly television reports has left many Arabs beside themselves with anger.
"He is `Shaytan,' that Bush," shouted Ali Hammouda, a newsstand operator in Cairo, using the Arabic word for Satan and pointing to a color photograph in one of his newspapers.
Full Version: Arab Media Portray War as Killing Field
Wow shocking! Propoganda being used in war. File this under duh. But maybe first file it under Politics and Religion.
Oops! You got me. 
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Edited later:
...that's as long as you agree that our papers are doing EXACTLY the same thing.
I don't think that they're referring to 7-cents flyers run off of mimeograph machines. This information is in the national daily news - and we're doing THE SAME THING TO THEM.
It's a war of headlines AS WELL AS of bodies.
[ April 04, 2003, 09:32 AM: Message edited by: bluebird48234 ]
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Edited later:
...that's as long as you agree that our papers are doing EXACTLY the same thing.
I don't think that they're referring to 7-cents flyers run off of mimeograph machines. This information is in the national daily news - and we're doing THE SAME THING TO THEM.
It's a war of headlines AS WELL AS of bodies.
[ April 04, 2003, 09:32 AM: Message edited by: bluebird48234 ]
There's propaganda on all sides.
From our side, it's heroes, liberation, military success, low casualties of our troops, zero reportage on the Iraqi dead, more heroics, cool bombs, lots of maps and commentary on the successful progress, lots of commentary on high tech weaponry, those crazy fanatics at Al Jazeera, successful strikes, swift advances, geographic successes (10 miles from, 5 miles from, just outside the gates of, etc.), is Saddam alive?, our pRez visiting troops here or there, polls on how America loves pRez and the war, where is Saddam?, heroic battles, a few cheering women and kids, a little bit on sieges which are of course successful, the occasional friendly fire or disastrous accidental mishap, the rare military setback, and more successes.
From their side, it's slaughtered women and children, bombed out neighborhoods, slaughtered women and children, American military dissension, American military failures and setbacks, Arabs under attack, Islam under attack, dead bloodied maimed headless bombed children, dead bloodied maimed headless bombed and shot women and innocent men, jihad, slaughtered citizens, dead death dying died death, bombs shattering windows and blinding people, bombs blowing off roofs and maiming people, bombs killing Arabs, bombs nearly hitting (but not) Muslim holy sites, Bush as "shaytan."
From our side, it's heroes, liberation, military success, low casualties of our troops, zero reportage on the Iraqi dead, more heroics, cool bombs, lots of maps and commentary on the successful progress, lots of commentary on high tech weaponry, those crazy fanatics at Al Jazeera, successful strikes, swift advances, geographic successes (10 miles from, 5 miles from, just outside the gates of, etc.), is Saddam alive?, our pRez visiting troops here or there, polls on how America loves pRez and the war, where is Saddam?, heroic battles, a few cheering women and kids, a little bit on sieges which are of course successful, the occasional friendly fire or disastrous accidental mishap, the rare military setback, and more successes.
From their side, it's slaughtered women and children, bombed out neighborhoods, slaughtered women and children, American military dissension, American military failures and setbacks, Arabs under attack, Islam under attack, dead bloodied maimed headless bombed children, dead bloodied maimed headless bombed and shot women and innocent men, jihad, slaughtered citizens, dead death dying died death, bombs shattering windows and blinding people, bombs blowing off roofs and maiming people, bombs killing Arabs, bombs nearly hitting (but not) Muslim holy sites, Bush as "shaytan."
One news report that I was watching a couple of nights ago did address the issue of enemy casualties. The commentators reviewed an email sent to one of the commentators by a US soldier from the battlefield. In it he talked abount the bodies of dead Iraqi soldiers lying knee deep on the road. He estimated that 10,000 had been killed that day as the army group advanced. Commentators speculated that US leaders are keeoing this news quiet for fear of provoking Arab outrage. Others felt that the news should be publicised to provoke outrage and flush out more extremists from around the Middle East who'd grab their guns and hop on the bus to Baghdad where they too could be slaughtered.
They don't have enough oil to be worth our time.
QUOTE
Survivors of a massacre in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have told UN human rights investigators that nearly 1,000 civilians were killed last Thursday on the eve of talks to bring peace to the war-ravaged Ituri district.
The investigators from the UN peace-keeping mission in Congo (or Monuc) flew into Drodro - near the border with Uganda - on Saturday where they interviewed eyewitnesses and visited mass graves.
The investigators from the UN peace-keeping mission in Congo (or Monuc) flew into Drodro - near the border with Uganda - on Saturday where they interviewed eyewitnesses and visited mass graves.
When the two sides stopped talking and picked up guns this was all inevitable.
I keep thinking back to the Iranian wrestlers being insulted by being singled out for fingerprinting when they were coming to compete in the US.
Petty nonsense like that is what eventually degenerates into wars. Misunderstandings from not having the intelligence, courage and human compassion to talk to people who disagree with you and tolerate their differences as long as they tolerate yours. a little cultural exchage could go a long way in ameliorating rough edges on both sides.
Unfortunately both sides are poorly lead right now and people's worst fears are being played upon - and worst sides are being brought out - by cowardly, greedy, selfish and unimaginative leaders.
I keep thinking back to the Iranian wrestlers being insulted by being singled out for fingerprinting when they were coming to compete in the US.
Petty nonsense like that is what eventually degenerates into wars. Misunderstandings from not having the intelligence, courage and human compassion to talk to people who disagree with you and tolerate their differences as long as they tolerate yours. a little cultural exchage could go a long way in ameliorating rough edges on both sides.
Unfortunately both sides are poorly lead right now and people's worst fears are being played upon - and worst sides are being brought out - by cowardly, greedy, selfish and unimaginative leaders.
Feel the pride.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/08/internat...position=bottom
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/08/internat...position=bottom
QUOTE
Iraqi hospitals reported dozens of civilians killed as Army and Marine forces wheeled into the city directing intense machine gun and cannon fire at any emplacement or building being used as cover for attacks on their advance.
An Associated Press reporter, Ellen Knickmeyer, traveling with the marines, said civilians approaching their positions were given two, sometimes three or four warning shots. But in one instance, she said an old man with a cane approaching Marine gunners appeared disoriented, and when he continued forward, he was killed.
\"They shouldn't be out — they got the memo,\" she quoted a Marine rifleman as saying, apparently referring to warnings to Iraqi civilians.
An Associated Press reporter, Ellen Knickmeyer, traveling with the marines, said civilians approaching their positions were given two, sometimes three or four warning shots. But in one instance, she said an old man with a cane approaching Marine gunners appeared disoriented, and when he continued forward, he was killed.
\"They shouldn't be out — they got the memo,\" she quoted a Marine rifleman as saying, apparently referring to warnings to Iraqi civilians.
Sportinlife -- your words are so appreciated. Exactly the kind of thoughts going through my head every day.
I had the opportunity to go hear Helen Thomas speak this evening. She is quite sharp and has great wit. The woman also has a lot to say.
When asked about the US television portrayal of the war, she remarked that, like the administration, the television networks are fearful of showing what is actually going on in Iraq. There are massive numbers of casualties, but the US television outlets are afraid to show it for fear that Americans will stop watching or feel the networks are not supporting the war efforts. She pointed to the incredible number of foreign press outlets, all of whom are reporting things that we are not hearing about on our own coverage.
It was also interesting today. Victoria Clarke (Pentagon spokeswoman) was asked about the journalists who were killed when US tanks and planes opened fire on two different buildings. Foreign correspondents from several countries pointed out that no small-arms or other fire was coming from the buildings. Ms. Clarke's reply was, "Journalists are covering this war from the war zone. They know war is a dangerous business." So much for compassion from the administration. So sorry we just killed your family, but they shouldn't have been doing their job where we might shoot them.
I had the opportunity to go hear Helen Thomas speak this evening. She is quite sharp and has great wit. The woman also has a lot to say.
When asked about the US television portrayal of the war, she remarked that, like the administration, the television networks are fearful of showing what is actually going on in Iraq. There are massive numbers of casualties, but the US television outlets are afraid to show it for fear that Americans will stop watching or feel the networks are not supporting the war efforts. She pointed to the incredible number of foreign press outlets, all of whom are reporting things that we are not hearing about on our own coverage.
It was also interesting today. Victoria Clarke (Pentagon spokeswoman) was asked about the journalists who were killed when US tanks and planes opened fire on two different buildings. Foreign correspondents from several countries pointed out that no small-arms or other fire was coming from the buildings. Ms. Clarke's reply was, "Journalists are covering this war from the war zone. They know war is a dangerous business." So much for compassion from the administration. So sorry we just killed your family, but they shouldn't have been doing their job where we might shoot them.
That Victoria Clarke is a TOUGH ONE! Whew! She's always frowning, glaring...I think General Franks or whoever should give her some. She seems really uptight--lady, we're WINNING!!! Wolfie can't help but smile; W. is grinning from ear to ear; General Franks himself even cracks a happy one. But this woman is just...tight!
Anyways, the Arabs have witnessed their own humiliation yet again--on TV, no less, in real time, so let's hope that instead of whipping them up into a suicidal froth, it makes them think seriously about another path, which is NOT THE OSAMA BIN LADEN one. Israel is now in a far stronger position, not a weaker one; Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and the non-state of Lebanon really had better think about political reforms, and even non-Arab muslim countries like Pakistan and Iran must realize that rather than harboring our enemies, they could work towards improving the lots of their people and focusing their energies towards productive pursuits at home. I'm not sure what to say about Indonesia, which is a mess, or the southern Philippines, but then again, once we're out of Iraq, I don't doubt W. will commit a few more troops to the latter country to clean things up there.
Anyways, the Arabs have witnessed their own humiliation yet again--on TV, no less, in real time, so let's hope that instead of whipping them up into a suicidal froth, it makes them think seriously about another path, which is NOT THE OSAMA BIN LADEN one. Israel is now in a far stronger position, not a weaker one; Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and the non-state of Lebanon really had better think about political reforms, and even non-Arab muslim countries like Pakistan and Iran must realize that rather than harboring our enemies, they could work towards improving the lots of their people and focusing their energies towards productive pursuits at home. I'm not sure what to say about Indonesia, which is a mess, or the southern Philippines, but then again, once we're out of Iraq, I don't doubt W. will commit a few more troops to the latter country to clean things up there.
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