US Command unveils unflattering video snippet of al-Qaida in Iraq leader

[ECH1969]

Newly released video of the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq shows Abu Musab al-Zarqawi decked out in American tennis shoes and fumbling with a machine gun.

The US military command says the footage was found during a series of raids in April on purported terror cell safe houses southwest of Baghdad.

Major General Rick Lynch says al-Zarqawi chose not to show the world this piece of video in which he's wearing "his New Balance tennis shoes," and in which his associates "do things like grab the hot barrel of the machine gun and burn themselves."

http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=4859743&nav=2FH5

[maxsolomon]

1. now THAT'S how you fight a war!

ridicule doesn't lead to amputations.

[madmark]

36. agreed

[displacedtexan]

2. Well, there goes the bogeyman fear factor.

These BushCo guys really are the gang that couldn't shoot straight.

I'm glad that video is out there, but how stupid do you have to be to let it get out
in the first place when you're trying to scare people into voting Repuke?

[daleo]

3. How many tennis shoes is he wearing? n/t

[Canuckistanian]

8. "shoes" - that 's the plural form

You can tell by the "s" on the end of the word. :sarcasm:

So, he has two legs after all. And he doesn't have bloody fangs or stand 7 feet tall, either.

[elehhhhna]

4. He's only got one leg. WTF?

[Trajan]

5. He is SUCH a sissy boy ! ....

Did you see the one where he opened that box of ACME Bullets, and loaded them in His gun backwards ? ....

Mel Blanc does the voiceovers .....

[acmavm]

6. Oh right. They can't find the guy but they have no trouble

getting his home movies.

[UpInArms]

7. from today's Stock Market thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2262981&mesg_id=2263294

Did the U.S. invent al-Qaeda boss Zarqawi?
http://www.rockrivertimes.com/index.pl?cmd=viewstory&cat=2&id=13111

snip>

But there is reason to believe that may all be a bunch of hype and disinformation planted by the administration. Western media, according to Professor Michel Chossudovsky, editor of Global Research.ca, have consistently depicted Zarqawi as a brutal terrorist, but said nothing about the Pentagon’s disinformation campaign, which has been known and documented since 2002.

The Washington Post recently published that the role of Zarqawi has been deliberately “magnified” by the Pentagon in an attempt to gain support for the “war on terror.” Chossudovsky said: “The Zarqawi campaign is discussed in several of the internal military documents. ‘Villainize Zarqawi/leverage xenophobia response,’ one military briefing from 2004 stated. It listed three methods: ‘media operations,’ ‘Special Ops (626),’ (a reference to Task Force 626, an elite U.S. military unit assigned primarily to hunt in Iraq for senior officials in Hussein’s government) and ‘PSYOP,’ the U.S. military term for propaganda work.”

snip>

Also, an internal document produced by U.S. military headquarters in Iraq, says “the Zarqawi PSYOP program is the most successful information campaign to date.”

snip>

Bailey then organized another subsidiary, Iraqex, which was awarded a $6 million Pentagon contract to begin “an aggressive advertising and PR campaign that will accurately inform the Iraqi people of the coalition’s goals and gain their support.”


Looks like a lot of our tax dollars are funding "home state" pork and lying to ourselves. Ain't Murika Grand?!

[ShortnFiery]

41. "the Zarqawi PSYOP program is

the most successful information campaign to date"

Um, excuse me, I suggest that the above be amended it to - the most inane information campaign to date. ;)

[951-Riverside]

9. ...So where is the video?

[ECH1969]

10. ABC News has it on their site

[951-Riverside]

11. I saw it and wow what a bunch of propagandist bullshit

[BigDDem]

12. Dont miss

Iraq "Bloopers and Practical Jokes" tonight at 9:00!

[ShortnFiery]

42. Narration complements of Our Dear Queen of International Diplomacy ...

<drum role> Karen Hughes! :puke:

[uppityperson]

13. So now we are NOT supposed to be afraid of Al Qaeda? OK

see, he's NOT the boogeyman so relax. :rofl:

[sabra]

14. U.S.: Outtakes show al-Zarqawi as poor gunman

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/05/04/iraq.al.zarqawi/

U.S.: Outtakes show al-Zarqawi as poor gunman

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is seen as an inept gunman on a "complete" version of last week's Web video, according to a U.S. military commander.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch on Thursday showed excerpts of the full video, found in a raid in Yusufiya south of Baghdad, that depict al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, and his aides appearing all-thumbs with firearms.

...


Lynch showed parts of the "complete video" that pictured the militant leader and what he called "supposedly competent" aides after al-Zarqawi was seen firing the machine gun.

...

"It's supposed to be automatic fire. He's shooting single shots one at a time. Something's wrong with his machine gun. He looks down, can't figure it out. He calls his friend to unblock the stoppage and get the weapon firing again."

[acmavm]

15. I'm shocked. I thought for sure that he'd say 'God bless

george bush**'

[katsy]

16. at least he didn't shoot his friend in the face. nt

[saigon68]

18. LOL We need a DU Comedy Troupe

Nice comeback

[henslee]

25. Shoots. Scores!

[MADem]

17. Who plays Abu Musab? Tom Cruise???

They pull this shit out of their asses for years, and expect us to leap in excitement--he's dead, he's alive, he's NUMBAH TWO, he's the TOP Numbah Two, he has one leg, it's the left, no, the right, he escapes magically on his one leg, but no, it grew back, he was shot, he's dead, he's on the run...!

Now we've got this BOOGABOOGABOOGA guy in video clips doing a Don Knotts/Three Stooges gig, who can't even shoot straight...and OWCHOWCHOWCH burns himself on his hot barrel??? Come on....!

This is likely for Arab world consumption, this release--an effort to humiliate, a "Saddam in his underwear" type exercise. They certainly don't have as their mission an attempt to scare us--about the only thing that is frightening is that our vaunted military hasn't been able to CATCH this KLUTZ!

[bklyncowgirl]

53. Actually, he looks alot like this guy.

Jay & Silent Bob do Jihad?

[ShortnFiery]

19. al-Zarqawi looks sort of Black Irish to me ...

All thumbs, who knew? Perhaps he trained with the "special ed" of the IRA ummm oh, the Al Quaeda. ;)

[formercia]

40. Descendant from some poor Spanish sailor who swam ashore

when the Great Armada landed on the Irish coast the hard way.....LOL

[0007]

20. Doesn't Zarqawi have a wooden leg? He more than likely

shot himself, 'eh?

[ShortnFiery]

21. He would at that!

:blush: :yoiks:

[leftofthedial]

22. hmm. most repuke staffers are also lame marksmen as well

coincidence?

or something more?

[PassingFair]

23. "Why he's their leader, I don't know."

Um, maybe it's because they got him from CENTRAL CASTING!

[lithiumbomb]

24. Is this the best we can do?

We are completely out of ideas...

[sabra]

26. indeed

:-(

[alcibiades_mystery]

27. What, did he shoot his friend in the face or something?

:rofl:

[pinniped]

28. That stupid general could talk all the shit he wants about al-Zarqawi.

Al-Zarqawi is the Supreme Allied Commander of ALL forces in the Middle East and beyond. He has regenerated legs, survived numerous bullet holes in his lungs, survived countless bombing raids, jumped out of speeding taxi-cabs, and has his passport stamped with most countries in the northern hemisphere, and has numerous number 2s and body doubles ready to take the fall for him. He could fire a machinegun with his telepathic control system.

This guy is tough as nails.

The general knows nothing.

After the shooting scene, al-Zarqawi heads toward a white truck and hands his gun to someone else, suggesting that the video might have been staged strictly for the camera.

Well, you don't say. Did the cameras have CNN or FAUX Newz emblazoned on them?

[warrens]

29. I can't believe we're losing to this guy...

(Old SNL line with Dukakis commenting on GWHB.)

[jayfish]

30. Yeah But How Is He With A Pistol?

...and what's the deal with the tennis shoe reference. Does it have some significance I'm missing?

Jay

[daleo]

32. Well, I recall a lot of stuff about "throwing shoes"

I gather that's a pretty big insult in parts of the middle east, so perhaps there is some sort of shoe related propaganda tie-in - "look, Zarquawi wears American tennis shoes". That's just a guess.

[jayfish]

33. Lots And Lots Of Video...

and photos I see of insurgents (dead or alive) show them in tennis shoes. You might me right, but I think the Iraqis see right through it. It's like were aiming our propaganda at a 5-year old.

Jay

[daleo]

35. Tennis shoes are probably quite practical foot-ware for insurgents

After all, they travel light and blend in with the local population. I agree about the propaganda - it is usually clumsy and probably laughable for the people being targeted.

[radwriter0555]

31. Wouldn't he have only ONE new balance tennis shoe? Or did that pesky

leg grow back again?

[jayfish]

34. Yeah And The Reason He Was Having A Hard Time With That Rifle Is,...

well, ghosts can't really pick stuff up.

Jay

[MisterP]

37. is there a blooper reel set to the Benny Hill theme song?

[ShortnFiery]

38. Can we say PsyOps bastards?

I knew we could. ;) And not even sophisticated at that. Guess quality lies and disinformation is not a skill that "Right Wing" lackeys bring to sexy Porter Goss's little political clubhouse known as our gutted CIA? :thumbsdown:

Is it just me or is Zarkowi the absolutely FATTEST terrorist known to all of al Quaeda? Hell, I have nothing against overweight people, but it must be really hard on that stump of his having to lug around all that weight on ONE GOOD LEG? :eyes:

[CJCRANE]

39. Distraction bag of tricks...

Make sure you include the following in your bag of tricks:

- headline-grabbing offensive on insurgents
- well-timed release of videotape (preferably bin Laden, but al-Zawahiri or al-Zarqawi will do)
- * speech on Iraq/Terror
- administration official "surprise" visit to Baghdad
- captured al-Qaeda #2
- Saddam appearance in court

Then repeat in random order ad infinitum.

[Thor_MN]

43. So.... al-Qaida leaders are as incompetant as the US's???

Is that what they are trying to say?

[rodeodance]

44. Video Shows al-Zarqawi Fumbling With Rifle (calling him incompetent)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq;_ylt=AthVxpHkS0zY3w0m3tcpKxes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
Video Shows al-Zarqawi Fumbling With Rifle

By TAREK EL-TABLAWY, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 15 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is shown wearing American tennis shoes and unable to operate his automatic rifle in video released Thursday by the U.S. military as part of a propaganda war aimed at undercutting the image of the terror leader.


The U.S. command showed the footage to reporters at a time when it is stepping up operations against al-Qaida in Iraq and making overtures to other Sunni groups. The Americans hope to isolate religious extremists from insurgents they believe are more likely to cut a deal to end the war..........


Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, spokesman for the U.S. command, mocked al-Zarqawi as the previously unseen footage showed a smiling al-Qaida leader first firing single shots from a U.S.-made M-249 light machine gun. A frown creeps across al-Zarqawi's face as the weapon jams. He looks at it, confused, then summons another fighter.

"It's supposed to be automatic fire. He's shooting single shots," Lynch said. "Something is wrong with his machine gun. He looks down, can't figure out, calls his friend to come unblock the stoppage and get the weapon firing again."

[HuffleClaw]

45. bwaahhaha thats the BEST they can do?

a US-MADE weapon malfunctions and its zarqawi's fault? thats some pretty desperate spin.

[magellan]

46. Well at least he's trying to shoot the thing

Which is more than we can say for BushCo when Zarqawi was in northern Iraq.

[Selatius]

47. You'd think being a resistance fighter would make you lose weight

Has he been sitting on the damn couch the whole time? You'd think running from the authorities and being involved in gun battles is a win-win on the weight loss front.

[onenote]

48. and exactly what message does this send?

So I guess all the families that have lost loved ones are supposed to feel better knowing that they were killed by incompetents? What does that say about the US commanders...

onenote

[lovuian]

49. Ahh Cheney shot his friend!!!

thats the message and he may not be able to shoot a machine gun but Cheney can't shoot either

[electricmonk]

50. Instead of a "propaganda war"

Why don't they just not blame him every time someone farts over there. The incompetence is astounding on all levels of this fiasco.

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. Saw the tape,

do they even realize the Machine Gun he was fumbling wiht was an American MADE Squad Assault Weapon? The mesasge was quite clear, WE ARE USING YOUR EQUIPMENT

[HuffleClaw]

52. 'found'

THIS is one pisspoor attempt at propaganda.

[Kailassa]

54. This clip is so obviously staged.

Perhaps scrub's propaganda guys are so sick of making bullshit videos for him that they have decided to make them so unconvincing that they are only good for a laugh.

[yellowcanine]

55. So we are using schoolyard taunting as a strategy now? I am sure

the terrorists are so humiliated that they won't be able to recruit new members. I am sure glad the adults are in charge.