my letter to NPR re: yesterdays "Iraqi Group Accuses Iran of Fueling Violence"

[peacebird]

Don't know if any of you heard this "report" yesterday. Really full press propaganda - stating Iran is fomenting violence in Iraq. Now I don't know, maybe they are, maybe they aren't - but this reporter was quoting three men the Iraqi's tortured into confessing as if their confessions were gospel truth and solid proof of Iran's misdeeds.... Anyhow - here's my letter to NPR:


This piece was more propaganda than news. The reporter was trying to convince people that Iran is indeed influencing violence in Iraq, but she failed to prove her point. The only "proof" she offered was the testimony of three men beaten so severely by the Iraqi's that they could not stand, and indeed had to be dragged into chairs. It is well recognized that torture generally convinces people to say whatever their torturer wants to hear, just to make the pain stop. Therefore it was very troubling to hear Anne Garrels quoting statements from victims of torture as "proof" of Iran's misdeeds in Iraq. She admitted that these men were brutalized, bleeding, and sobbing - but she apparently took their coerced statements as gospel truth. From her "reporting" you would never have known that torture doesn't produce TRUTH, or that tortured people will say almost anything just to make it stop. I was suprised and disappointed that NPR would produce such garbage.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Yep, I heard that and wondered why they even bothered to broadcast it. No

mention at all that perhaps the poor tortured souls were just saying what their tormentore wanted them to say.

i was surprised they didn't question it at all, just put out it out on the air like it meant anything.

NPR is now supporting torture. The more people tortured, the more great stories NPR can get.

Did the reporter make a statement to the police so they could arrest the torturers?

[rodeodance]

2. the WH has been saying that since last summer.

[kickysnana]

3. My pledge was due and I told them I gave to MoveOn instead because of propaganda as news

I listen to the MPR classical station but news comes on on the hour and the last six months it leaves my stomach in a knot so I am surely not going to pay to be tortured with government propaganda from a supposidly public radio station.