What the US papers don't say

[emad]

Press review

Michael Hann examines the air of secrecy and silence surrounding the US media's treatment of George Bush's 'war on terror'

Friday April 30, 2004
<snip>

American contractors torturing Iraqi prisoners in a prison outside Baghdad? A huge story, by anyone's standards, surely, especially when pictures of the abuse were broadcast on the US TV network CBS.
So it was no surprise that newspapers around the world made huge, horrified play of the events at the Abu Ghraib prison. It was more of a surprise, however, that a search of the US press revealed not one word about the tortured prisoners. Not a leader column, not a news report, not even a TV review.

Perhaps the absence of coverage should have been expected. CBS admitted it had come under severe pressure from the Pentagon not to broadcast the images, and the issue of what is and what is not fit for US public consumption has been an ongoing theme, applicable to events both domestic and foreign.

Tonight, for example, the ABC network's Nightline programme is to feature host Ted Koppel reading the names of all members of the American military killed in Iraq, while pictures of them appear on screen. But, as the New York Daily News reported, one local broadcasting group that controls eight ABC-affiliated stations has "angrily pulled" the show, claiming the naming of the dead "is a blatant anti-war ploy".

The White House reacted angrily last week to the publication of the flag-draped coffins of US soldiers who have died in Iraq. But Daniel Schorr, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, wondered why. "Considering that no individual identification is visible in the pictures, it is hard to understand the justification for clamping the secrecy lid on the solemn procession of flag-draped coffins being carried off the cargo planes," he wrote. "I cannot avoid the suspicion that President George Bush - who has yet to attend to a funeral service for any of the honoured dead that he has sent to war - has no interest in calling attention to the mounting number of casualties in a battle that was far from over last May 1, when the president declared 'major combat operations' in Iraq had ended."
<snip>
More:
Sorry lost the link.

Guardian Unlimited Friday 30 April

[hedda_foil]

1. Here ya go.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1207162,00.html

[saigon68]

15. HERE'S THE REUPUKE SPIN

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=5004215§ion=news

In contrast to media outlets in Europe and parts of the Middle East, where photographs of reported torture of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. forces were prominently displayed and decried, newspapers in the United States featured the images of the fallen -- which carried their own controversy.

This shows U.S. newspaper editors understand what kind of war coverage interests American readers, according to David D. Perlmutter, a historian of war and media at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

"The torture pictures are absolutely irrelevant," Perlmutter said in a telephone interview. "Americans care about American soldiers, and only journalistic and political and academic elites fret about pictures of collateral damage ...

"If you start talking to the public, you'll find people sympathizing with the soldiers," he said

On Edit: we at DU are political and academic elites fretting about pictures of collateral damage

[BiggJawn]

19. Hot Damn! I always wanted to be an ELITE!!

An Academic Elite! Does this mean I'm hated by Mallard Fillmore, now?

I sympathize with the soldiers, too. They were sent to war for trumped-up bogus reasons.

I'm so sorry anybody has to die for Cheney's hard-on....

[Don_G]

2. They'll Never Say It

As long as the RW media disseminate the White House propaganda.

That's why I rely on the Internet and my Shortwave Receiver for my primary news sources.

[Gold Metal Flake]

10. What frequencies and stations?

I have a few old SW receivers, and would like to listen.

[BiggJawn]

20. Anything besides VOA.

VOA is sort of like NPR, in that they have an occassional item that isn't US propaganda, but the majority of it is.

Google can get you much more info than I can off the top of my head, but try the BBC, 15190 in the mornings, and 5975 in the evenings.
Radio Habana Cuba (if you can stand the shitty sounding audio) 6000 in the evenings. Voice of Russia on 7180 in the evening, hasn't been an easy listen for a while on that frequency.

[WVhill]

3. I hadn't heard that

"American contractors torturing Iraqi prisoners in a prison outside Baghdad?" The reports have said it was soldiers from an MP outfit. The soldiers are in a world of sh*t. I suspect that following the court marshal they'll end up doing hard time in a military prison. As soldiers they are covered by the UCMJ. No civilian prison for them or appeals. They are screwed! Military courts aren't known for leniency. They're looking at long prison terms.

If they were contractors, I'd bet that there might be a loophole because of sovereignty issues and they might escape punishment.

[seemslikeadream]

5. Here luv right down the page

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=520049&mesg_id=520049

[WVhill]

6. It will be interesting to see what happens to the contractors.

I'm betting they'll walk but the soldiers will swing.

[seemslikeadream]

8. Most definitely walking

Nobody to prosecute them and with Negroponte as ambassador he'll be able to smooth things over.

[KansDem]

12. I like your poster!

May I copy it for my cube?

(Might want to add "genitalia" to "hands, eyes, feet" Apparently, the US MPs/"contractors" did...)

[seemslikeadream]

13. Of course I found it googling and look at these toys

[catzies]

9. Welcome to DU, WVHill.

:hi:

Your last point about contractors and their loopholes is something we've brought up here recently too. Many of us share your exact concerns and fear that exploiting those loopholes is exactly why they're there.

[WVhill]

14. Thanks.

I have no doubt subcontactors are hired for "other" reasons. I've seen subs hired in the commercial world, no torture involved of course, with the unwritten understanding that if a scapegoat is needed they're preselected.

[seemslikeadream]

18. Nice picture of a "private contractor" for ya

The Americans on the other hand - especially those looking after Bremer himself - were the polar opposite - loud, brash and arrogant. They wore a de facto 'uniform' which although it was of their own choosing, looked to have been formed by common consent from a depot of Banana Republic. They parade around wearing Oakley sunglasses, wearing flak jackets and vests laden with ephemera - radios, grenades, spare cartridges and magazines - curly wires trailing to their ears whilst they cradle automatic weapons aggressively in front of them. Beige cargo pants, held up by a gunbelt bearing a personal sidearm seemed to be the order of the day and their attitude made them no friends, especially amongst the soldiers and journalists who their work often brought them into contact with.

[WVhill]

21. Nice toy!

I'm not sure what it is but it looks like a small caliber. I think in a confrontation with Iraqis with AK47s they'd be outgunned.

[saigon68]

16. Dan Rather's report has an interview with one of the Defendants

He said civilians were working over the POW's



My Take : Kind of like they did to McCain at the Hanoi Hilton

[On the Road]

4. I Had No Idea This Was Completely Unreported.

Since I haven't read any mainstream media sources this week.

Suggestion: I think I'll go to a respected foreign news site (preferably British), print out the photos accompanied by an article from a respected source, and just post it on the bulletin board here at work. No comments.

Any suggestions on a source? People have to know.

[UpInArms]

7. here's a page of links

http://news.google.com/news?num=30&hl=en&edition=us&q=cluster:www%2efoxnews%2ecom%2fstory%2f0%2c2933%2c118456%2c00%2ehtml

I suggest BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3672117.stm

[leftchick]

11. BBCAmerica covered it quite well this morning....

two main points: Why no outrage in America and the WH in particular. Also had a Human Rights activist on saying there may be many more abuses we are not aware of. Oh yes, a third point. The US is acting like it is above international law and that bodes very badly for the US and the world!

[The_Casual_Observer]

17. This kind of thing might be objectionable to the sensibilities

of the Soccer Moms. Don't want to disturb them or their buying habits.