The "toppling" of Saddam and the Iraqi regime: a tale of 2 photos
Fozzy | 10.04.2003 00:46
The "toppling" of Saddam and the Iraqi regime: a tale of 2 photos
The "toppling" of Saddam and the Iraqi regime: a tale of 2 photos
A tale of two photos
You have probably seen the photos of the statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled, and TV footage of jubilant Iraqis rolling the bronze head around, bringing back memories of so many previous popular uprisings – 1989, 1956, 1953...
If there is one thing this war has taught us all, it's that we can't believe what we're told. For Donald Rumsfeld these were "breathtaking". For the British Army they were "historic". For BBC Radio they were "amazing".
Here's the truth.
First there is a photo from the BBC website showing the statue toppling. Below that is a long-shot in which you can see the whole of Fardus Square (conveniently located just opposite the Palestine Hotel where the international media are based), and the presence of at most around 200 people – most of them US troops (note the tanks and armoured vehicles) and assembled journalists.
The BBC website had the honesty to say that "dozens" of Iraqis were involved, but this grain of truth was swamped by the overwhelming impression of mass joy. The radio and TV were even worse.
The masses are no doubt glad to see the back of Saddam Hussein, but this was a US Army propaganda coup, staged for the benefit of the same journalists it had bombed the day previously, and which the British media have swallowed hook line and sinker. Shame on them.
You have probably seen the photos of the statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled, and TV footage of jubilant Iraqis rolling the bronze head around, bringing back memories of so many previous popular uprisings – 1989, 1956, 1953...
If there is one thing this war has taught us all, it's that we can't believe what we're told. For Donald Rumsfeld these were "breathtaking". For the British Army they were "historic". For BBC Radio they were "amazing".
Here's the truth.
First there is a photo from the BBC website showing the statue toppling. Below that is a long-shot in which you can see the whole of Fardus Square (conveniently located just opposite the Palestine Hotel where the international media are based), and the presence of at most around 200 people – most of them US troops (note the tanks and armoured vehicles) and assembled journalists.
The BBC website had the honesty to say that "dozens" of Iraqis were involved, but this grain of truth was swamped by the overwhelming impression of mass joy. The radio and TV were even worse.
The masses are no doubt glad to see the back of Saddam Hussein, but this was a US Army propaganda coup, staged for the benefit of the same journalists it had bombed the day previously, and which the British media have swallowed hook line and sinker. Shame on them.
Fozzy
Comments
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Fozzy your a numptey
10.04.2003 08:09
Robin
Damm propoganda
10.04.2003 08:46
Damm propoganda
Robin
hundreds of people
10.04.2003 09:09
if a neo-nazi group seized power in london you'd get more people than that celebrating, would that mean that 'london is jubilant' or that virtually no-one is jubilant?
hk
A little math
10.04.2003 09:23
Richard
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Re
10.04.2003 12:23
The people standing behind the statue on the street corners just stared blankly at the whole thing. There were other shots of two Iraqis carrying a sign saying "go home human sheilds, US wankers", they were seperate from the crowd and wandering around glummly obviously trying to get their pictures taken by the press ... it looked like a set up. Also the celebration was pretty muted for long periods of time, only when the statue actualy came down did they start making noise. I'm sure the vast majority of Iraqis are glad to see the end of Saddam, that doesn't mean they are happy to be invaded. I think the scenes of celebartion from Saddam Town and Basra were genuine but that statue scene looked like a set up to me.
I'd put the "crowd" at a few hunderd, a large proportion of which where press, this in a city of 5 million! Not convincing.
Calgacus
why defensive?
10.04.2003 13:05
For heaven's sake, of course (most) Iraqis will be delighted to see the back of Saddam and the Ba'ath regime. If I was Iraqi I'd be celebrating, at least for now!
It's beside the point. We've never defended the regime, our case was never that their fall would be a bad thing. We're against invasion as a means to end the regime, because it's killed thousands (and will kill more) and because it ends up in imperialist occupation, not the promised but endlessly postponed 'peace and democracy'.
I suspect many or most Iraqis have similar thoughts.
kurious oranj
What if...
10.04.2003 13:33
Richard
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TVS Stations
10.04.2003 17:34
So most of the population would not have known what was happening.
If they had, there would have been alot more people there.
And there was also a Traffic Jam of cars on the road behind the statue.
Alex
traffic jam
10.04.2003 18:21
BBC news yesterday lunchtime commented that the Palestine Hotel (Palestine hasn't had much other exposure lately!) is in a largely residential area, so the 'if it had been on local TV, more people would have arrived' argument is wobbly.
Also, the USAF can put TV broadcasts into the city whenever it wants - like they did with Bush and Blair's 'video dating' efforts today.
Maybe people didn't come out on the streets because they don't want to be filmed celebrating too early.
And maybe some of them remember how the 'coalition' let them down at the end of Gulf War I.
People with very long memories might even still begrudge the US foisting the Saddam Hussein's governemnt on them in the first place.
bobby
What is the Big Deal?
11.04.2003 01:06
knox
patriots and numpties!
11.04.2003 19:31
BURN ALL FLAGS.
stan
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