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November 08, 2004
No More Pretense
No more pretense about what we are doing:
In April, American troops were closing in on the city center when popular uprisings broke out in cities across Iraq. The outrage, fed by mostly unconfirmed reports of large civilian casualties, forced the Americans to withdraw. American commanders regarded the reports as inflated, but it was impossible to determine independently how many civilians had been killed. The hospital was selected as an early target because the American military believed that it was the source of rumors about heavy casualties. "It's a center of propaganda," a senior American officer said Sunday. This time around, the American military intends to fight its own information war, countering or squelching what has been one of the insurgents' most potent weapons.This time around, the American military intends to fight its own information war, countering or squelching what has been one of the insurgents' most potent weapons. The military hopes that if it can hold its own in that war, then the armed invasion - involving as many as 25,000 American and Iraqi troops, all told - will smash what has become the largest remaining insurgent stronghold in Iraq.
Got that? Hospitals spread the news of civilian casualties so them must be targeted as part of the "information war."
And note how the many hundreds of people killed in the last siege have become mere "inflated" reports. (At the time, the BBC reported that "a group of five international charities estimated that about 470 people had been killed, while hospital officials put the death toll at about 600" -- and Iraq Body Count has done an extensive study which corroborates these estimates.)
The New York Times also has another article on the targeting of the hospital that is almost a self-parody of propaganda. In the usual self-important tone, it reports that:
[American officials] have made little secret of their irritation with what they contend are inflated civilian casualty figures that regularly flow from the hospital - propaganda, they believe, for the Falluja insurgents, whom they blame for much of the car bombings, beheadings and other acts of terror in Iraq.
Think about the above quote. Forget that it's said by our military, which is bad enough, but imagine what it means that our leading "liberal" newspaper is reporting this snippet without comment. While it's always a tricky question to determine at what point "I'm just doing my job" is not good enough an excuse, I find it hard to forgive reporting that claim without an accompanying explanation of well-confirmed reports of actual massive civilian casualties in Fallujah -- let alone, laws of war regarding protection of hospitals.
The article goes out of its way to try to justify what has been done but at the end of the shameful day, there isn't much to say. The American Special Forces found a Moroccan fighter in a wheelchair who claimed there were four other foreign fighters being treated in the hospital -- which is what hospitals do, they treat all people who show up injured at their door. It would be wrong of them not to so there is no point there. And if one guy in a wheelchair doesn't sound scary enough, here's what else they found:
American troops said they found four or five men at the hospital armed with Kalashnikov rifles, and at least one hand grenade. A poster hanging in an examination room on the first floor displayed scenes of carnage in Iraq and a row of flag-draped American coffins. The writing on the poster encouraged jihad, a translator said.Perhaps the most intriguing discovery of the night - aside from the Moroccan - were two cellphones found on the roof of the hospital. The Americans said they were clear evidence that someone was monitoring the area in front of the hospital.
"Cellphones work fine on the first floor, if you want to talk to your family," the American Special Forces commander said. "It's pretty clear they were on the roof spotting."
Make no mistake, there is no question that we can flatten Fallujah. We can also play all these propaganda games amongst ourselves, between Centcom releases, New York Times, Fox News, our fight against "anti-Iraqi forces," no civilian casualties except a few regrettable incidents that is to be blamed on the terrorists, blah, blah, blah... But trust me, nobody, nobody else is buying it.
Posted by zeynep at November 8, 2004 12:22 AM
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Comments
Is the idea that if the US controls the hospitals, the Iraqi people will not know whether or not there are casualties? Are we so disconnected from reality that we don't realize that these are real people with real social networks? The Iraqis don't need hospital bureaucrats to tell them if people are being killed - the wailing of mourning mothers will suffice. Perhaps they are the next propaganda target.
Posted by: seth at November 8, 2004 12:53 PM
So nobody else is buying it... What makes you think that it matters to the American government, military, media or people whether anyone else is buying it?
Posted by: Miguel at November 8, 2004 02:28 PM
So nobody else is buying it... What makes you think that it matters to the American government, military, media or people whether anyone else is buying it?
Posted by: Miguel at November 8, 2004 02:29 PM
Watching some cable news over lunch, and that includes CNN, Fox, and MSNBC, you seriously would have the idea that this is an Iraqi operation, ordered by the Iraqi government, performed in significant measure by Iraqi forces. The propaganda component is simply overwhelming, from all corners. At one point, the White House correspondent on one channel started a report like this: "What the White House wants you to believe..." They don't even try to DISGUISE the spin (a.k.a. propaganda) any more.
Posted by: Eli Stephens at November 8, 2004 04:02 PM
I have always felt George Walker B. was a very upfront person, in that he always tells you exactly what he wants you to believe.
Don't worry. Three or four times more conquering Fallujah and Samarra will prove who is boss. America is a leader, led by leadership, ruled by good values.
Posted by: Josh Narins at November 8, 2004 04:59 PM
Last week, Theo van Gogh was murdered on the street here in Holland. He was a taboo-breaker most (in)famous for speaking his often radical opinion. It was done by a person of Moroccan descent, so immediately a 'discussion' was fired up about 'islamist terrorism'. Many parrallels were drawn to the murder of Pim Fortuyn, the right wing populist murdered 2 years ago. He was murdered by a white veganist, but strangely enough I didn't hear any talk about fighting 'veganist terrorism'. This to me is propaganda showing it's ugliest face. Political parties all 'round had nothing but to gain from the death of Fortuyn, so that murder was the work of a lone nut. But van Gogh was murdered by an islamic terrorist so now Holland is at war...
But the most startling thing I heard yesterday: A bomb was thrown into an Islamic school. Probably some racist reaction spurred by an equally racist propaganda campaign. Strangely enough (sic), this bombing was not once called a terrorist act. It was again just the act of a nut, a loner not to be confused with the rest of us good, god-fearing white people. Frankly it makes me sick. Here in Holland, I rarely hear the word 'terrorism' without the accompanying 'islamist' attached. The definition of terrorism seems to be getting as narrow as the minds of our politicians.
I know this rant is quite off topic, but I just thought I'd share it with some people who just might give a fuck.
Posted by: Nick at November 8, 2004 07:55 PM
String together a bunch of unrelated pictures and make up some BS story in an attempt to further your ignorant agenda....nice work, people with brains dont fall for this nonsense.
Posted by: Uda at November 9, 2004 02:54 PM
Uda: unlike you, who obviously falls for any old bullshit.
You know, like WMDs lined up in bunkers, Iraqis waiting with flowers and chocolates, yellowcake from Nigeria, AWOL presidents being war heroes, etc, etc, etc.
Ignoramus.
Oh, BTW: what will you say when the US withdraws from Iraq in disarray? How will you be able to blame the 'lib'ruls' for that?
Posted by: floopmeister at November 9, 2004 09:09 PM