From the Front

Via Donald Sensing comes The Messopotamian, blogging from Iraq. It's always good to get information strait from the source, as it were, rather than wait for the US or EU media to filter it, spin it, twist it, and make it dance to their tune.

Anywho, The Messopotamian says that the USA is losing the culture/propaganda war.

Yes friends, the information policy of the CPA and Governing Council, is simply a flop......

.....The members of the Governing Council (GC) have to wait humbly, until Al-Arabiya, Al-Jazira or the like condescend to give them some time every once in a while, making sure to have some other "guest" on the show to refute and take the micky out of every word uttered by the venerable member of the G.C.

Yes, to be sure, there is the INN (Iraqi News Network ), and the Forces Radio. As for the former you have to ask the patriotic compatriot who returned from exile to direct it, and then resigned and left back to exile in disgust. Whereas the latter, is like presenting a dish of "english faggots" and cold potatoes to someone accustomed to "Kouzi", "Dolma", "Masgouf" and all the other flamboyant, "Roccoco style" fantasmagoria of Messopotamian cuisine with six thousand years of heritage behind it.

I advice the concerned to give Saddam a temporary safe conduct and a short contract to teach them one or two things about the art of propaganda. After the expiry of which temporay reprieve he may hide again and the Fox Hunt may resume.

While I wouldn't scream that the sky is falling just yet, reports like this worry me. It's no secret that most of the Middle East is hostile to the USA. That would be because much of the Middle East is ruled by thugs, dictators, theocracies, and the like. A free Iraq is the LAST thing they want, because nothing shows what an utter and complete failure you are like a shining example of what went right parked next door. So, most of what the Al-(fill in the blank) shows is negative towards the USA. Now, if it were just "Oh I don't like them" that wouldn't be a big problem. But we're dealing with "news" sources who claim that Jews bake their Passover pastries with the blood of christian and muslim children. They don't just spin the news, they make shit up from scratch. Remember Baghdad Bob? That's the standard of Al-Jazira. Other news channels were showing tanks rolling into Baghdad, and Al-Jazira is only showing Baghdad Bob on top of his building, with smoke rising up behind him, yelling "We will roast their stomachs in hell!" Yeah, right. If you were watching CNN at that point, it wouldn't have suprised you to see an M1 Abrahms roll into the picture behind 'ol Bob.

The point is this: America needs to be heard a lot more than they are. Allowing Al-Jazira and Al-Ghardiyan to be the sole provider of information in Iraq is like allowing the NYT to be the sole provider of news in the USA. Totally slanted, biased, and worthless. Oh, by the way, check out Donalds take on Maureen Dowd's newest column. Talk about making shit up! I can't believe that there are people stupid enough to keep paying her! Anyways, back to the Messopotamian:

Al Jazira, Al Arabiya and the like are still, after six months of the fall of the idol, the main sources of information in the country. The G.C. members, all accomplished speakers and orators, hardly talk to the people. They might appear occasionaly on the arab channels.

This is far more dangerous than what you think. These channels are almost directing operations of "insurgency". For instance, as soon as some information is broadcast about oil being pumped on a certain line, you can be certain it is sabotaged the next day, not to mention showing tapes from Saddam, Bin Laden, and various "resistance groups" colorfully poising for the photo holding their RPJ's and threatening every body with death and damnation. Even their method of reporting is highly subversive. For example: When IP stations are attacked, the reporter never fails to add that this is done because these are "collaborators".

An Iraqi Sattelite Station must immediately be started, and all the talented well known Iraqis who are eminently capable to run it and counter attack this massive propaganda campaign by the enemy, recalled and recruited. The Station should beam long hours and compete effectively and present the information in the flamboyant and spicy style appropriate to the mass taste of the iraqi populace.

Sounds good to me. Mr. Bremer, are you listening?