July 6, 2004
Bush Attack Ads
Well, today Kerry announced Edwards as his running mate (I heaved a sigh of relief), and I saw a blurb of the latest Bush attack ad. It features John McCain, which is sad for starters, but it also shows the toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein. I couldn't believe they had included that since the news is finally taking notice that Army Stage-Managed Fall of Hussein Statue (LA Times 7/3/04). While most of us who read the people's press already knew this, current reports are based on the Army's own internal study.
The Army's internal study of the war in Iraq criticizes some efforts by its own psychological operations units, but one spur-of-the-moment effort last year produced the most memorable image of the invasion.As the Iraqi regime was collapsing on April 9, 2003, Marines converged on Firdos Square in central Baghdad, site of an enormous statue of Saddam Hussein. It was a Marine colonel — not joyous Iraqi civilians, as was widely assumed from the TV images — who decided to topple the statue, the Army report said. And it was a quick-thinking Army psychological operations team that made it appear to be a spontaneous Iraqi undertaking.
After the colonel — who was not named in the report — selected the statue as a "target of opportunity," the psychological team used loudspeakers to encourage Iraqi civilians to assist, according to an account by a unit member.
Of course, Cheney used the false event in his speech at the D-Day Museum (White House press release) on July 1.
I guess this is just another example of "if you say something often enough most will think it is true." Unfortunately, most news references to the "famous" toppling do not mention the whole thing was a fabrication, which helps enforce the lie.
Papers with articles on the sham
LA Times
Army report confirms Psy-ops staged Saddam statue toppling, The NewStandards
Radio Netherlands 7/01/04
Posted by rowan at July 6, 2004 4:19 PM | TrackBack | [eMail this article!] |"Z" Magazine ran the picture on their back cover I gave several people copies. What was shocking is that several people said the staged photo was staged to discredit the U.S. ? Go figure !
Posted by: Bill Whitlatch at July 6, 2004 6:17 PMIf someone lies on one point can they be trusted on any point? Truly there is nothing new here; just deeper levels of the standard operating procedure. During the recent push or Medicare Reform the Administration was cited as sending false news reports to various television stations. There was no reporter; named Karen Ryan; as John Stewart on Comedy Central pointed out.
Lies are the life blood of this administration, without lies this administration would not exist. They have no legitimacy outside of their lies, empty rhetoric and threats.
How many persons have been threatened by this administration? Whistle Blowers? Peace Activists? Those whose loved ones died on that tragic September morning? Hard nosed reporters? Many have been treated with contempt at an administration that bears resemblance to low rate dictators.
And the lies have continued unabated for years:
1) Halliburton, 2) Plame Affair 3)911 4) Unlawful Preemptive War 5) No WMDs 6) Bush/Saud Connection 7), Abu Greib 8) Lawless Mercenaries (independent contractors) 9) Executive Orders rescinding the Geneva Convention, 10) A hidden trial of Saddam to prevent CIA and government officials from being indicted as co-conspirators in the Iran/Iraq War.
I really do not think that there is a such thing as a completely honest politician. If one of us were the president WE would have to lie and make false statements. The difference here is the bush regime has legitimized lying to the point where it has permeated the military and his own VP.. It has gone to far (for I remember reading somewhere) even George himself was caught reiterating his ( own lies. Were those lies created by his staff and not explained to dubbuy himself?
Posted by: Jack at July 6, 2004 9:21 PMThe contrived toppling of the Saddam statue in Firdos Square also comes up in the film "Control Room", which is a documentary about Al Jazeera and the CentCom Media Center during the Iraq War. Among other things, the Al Jazeera reporters claim that the people milling around the square did not have Iraqi accents, that no one from any of the nearby houses came out to assist the toppling, and they wondered where the crowd got a pre-1991 Iraqi flag. (Saddam added religious script to the flag after Gulf War I)
"Control Room" is showing this week at Cinema 21 in Portland, OR, and elsewhere around the country. Check it out. The media coverage on this story has been nil.
Posted by: Matt at July 6, 2004 9:44 PMThere was one shot of a couple of guys carrying a sign that said " human shields go home" - it didn't get too much play. I wonder how the human shields fared after US forces reached Baghdad? I wonder if Saddam will mention them during his trial?
Posted by: kgoesh at July 7, 2004 4:21 AM