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IRAQ and the MEDIA WAR: The Big Lie
134/David Miller
Throughout the build up to the war in Iraq the US and UK governments tried to show that Iraq had weapons of Mass Destruction and that Saddam Hussein was a threat. Within days and sometimes hours these lies were exposed to the world, leading to unprecedented public opposition to war. Since the war started the mainstream British media have abandoned all pretence at sceptical reporting in the main news bulletins watched by millions of British citizens. The distinction between news and government propaganda has shown signs of breaking down altogether as embedded reporters and newscasters got carried away with the thrill of war and endlessly recycled military propaganda.
The big lie in this war is the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction. In the last year the UK and US have time and again tried to show that Hussein has nuclear, biological or chemical weapons. The UN has declared that 100% of nuclear capability was removed by 1998 and has not been restored. The UK claimed that Iraq had been attempting to buy components in the West African state of Niger. Denounced by the UN as a 'fabrication', the documents may, according to prize-winning US journalist Seymour Hersh, have been the result of an MI6 Information Operation or I/Op. By 1998 according to UN inspector Scott Ritter, the chemical and biological capacity was '90-95% removed'. As UK minister Robin Cook noted in his resignation speech there is little likelihood that Iraq has any weapons of mass destruction. Yet still the US and UK government continue to lie about this.
The message is co-ordinated by the US in round the clock contact with Downing Street. The White House Office of Global Communications sets the days messages in early morning calls to spin doctor Alistair Campbell. The new 'global messenger system' set up by the US is used to keep 16,000 diplomatic personnel all over the globe regularly updated on the line to take with the media. This system is run out of the State Department's Office of Public Diplomacy which has 800 staff and a budget of over $1.1billion according to official figures. These efforts were supplemented by the massive military PR operation in the gulf including US and UK 'psychological operations' staff, whose role is to manipulate public opinion and feed in stories undermining the Iraqi will to resist as well as targeting British public opinion with crude propaganda about chemical weapons. After the war started the philosophy seemed to be that reports about chemical or biological weapons finds might by sheer repetition convince people of their existence. From the first day of the bombing on March 20 until well into May 2003 reports filled the global media about potential finds or the use of banned weapons. Every single report has been false. Selected examples include:
Scuds
As the bombing started reports came in that the Iraqis had responded by firing scuds over the border into Kuwait. Originating from the military, the reports were parroted by the world's media. Most TV outlets neglected to attribute the story to 'army sources' or note that they were allegations. But a day later it was confirmed by the LA Times that the missiles were not scuds. TV broadcasters did not apologise for misleading their viewers.
Chemical Weapons factory
On Sunday 23 March stories about the discovery of a chemical weapons factory were reported all over the world. For example ITN reported on Monday 24th 'American sources have confirmed they have discovered what they believe to be a huge chemical factory'. After the story had given the correct impression, the Pentagon quietly admitted that the factory contained absolutely no chemicals and had in fact been abandoned long ago by the Iraqi's.
Chemical weapons find
As the war progressed the normally sceptical Channel Four News fell for yet another chemical weapons story, reporting a find of barrels of chemicals which might be the missing smoking gun (April 7). They produced helpful graphics with skull and crossbones for emphasis. This time it was Channel Four that did not believe the evidence of its own eyes. The barrels of chemicals in their film were marked clearly with the word 'pesticide'.
Mobile biological factory discovered
Announced by the Pentagon and eagerly reported by the BBC's science correspondent complete with 'hazard' graphics on Newsnight on 7 May. According to the reporter the Pentagon's 'confidence is… clearly running high because they say key features of the trailer match closely information from an intelligence source they believe is trustworthy.' The reporter then detailed some examples of other 'Previous sites which looked promising but proved false alarms'. The judgement here is that the Pentagon genuinely believes the false stories it purveys as opposed to engaging in deliberate misinformation.
This is all very familiar for viewers who remember the Falklands and the Gulf war in 1991. In both those conflicts many journalists, criticised the military for lying, apologised for misleading the public and promised that they would never again be so duped. But - yet again - they went along with the propaganda. Some journalists do try and retain some scepticism, usually on minority programmes. But the main bulletins quietly moved from the last lie to the next rumour in a seamless propaganda show. There are no apologies and no retractions. Most of all there is a refusal to discuss coalition propaganda in front of the audience. In war time it seems the truth about lies is too dangerous for us to hear. For the first time in history we can easily discover the truth on the internet and in independent news sources. Yet most British people have to rely on the deluge of misinformation on the BBC and ITV.
Last modified: Sunday, June 15, 2003
Previous war reporting stories
IRAQ and the MEDIA WAR: RESOURCES FOR ANSWERING BACK
MEDIA BEATS THE WAR DRUMS
Dropping Songs on the White House
US attack on journalists 'deliberate and unprovoked' - witness reports from Media-watch.
US Media Unions Demand Explanation for Deaths in Iraq
JOURNALISTS PAY THE PRICE OF WAR
"Reporting Iraq: the Challenge for Public Service Broadcasting" - Speech by Andrew Murray, chair of the Stop the War Coalition, March 27, 2003.
IFJ says attacks on journalists in Iraq are "Crimes of War" that must be punished
Amnesty International questions attacks on Palestine Hotel and Al-Jazeera
ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS ARE "WAR CRIMES" SAYS NUJ
MTV Europe heads tells station not to broadcast videos of war
Kucinich Takes to The House Floor To Call For An End to The War
Radio Vatican spreads pope's anti-war message around the world
US Drops 'E-Bomb' On Iraqi TV
We Work for Peace and Justice
WHILE OTHERS STOOD SILENT...
War Update from www.rense.com
24/7 Journalism Exposed
Bitter Rice - an Israeli looks at the war
Leaked BBC memo explains negative attitude to coverage of dissent.
PENTAGON THREATENS TO KILL INDEPENDENT REPORTERS IN IRAQ
Reporting War on Iraq: The Challenge for Public Service Broadcasting
MEDIA ACTIVISM (continued)
WAR SPIN
ACTIVISM PAYS OFF (II)
Times, NPR Change Their Take on DC Protests
ACTIVISM PAYS OFF (I)
BUSH'S "BLUEPRINT FOR US GLOBAL DOMINATION"
SELLING THE WAR
WAGING WAR ON IRAQ TO WIN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS
WAR TALK
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
War Reporting
IRAQ and the MEDIA WAR: RESOURCES FOR ANSWERING BACK
MEDIA BEATS THE WAR DRUMS
Dropping Songs on the White House
US attack on journalists 'deliberate and unprovoked' - witness reports from Media-watch.
US Media Unions Demand Explanation for Deaths in Iraq
JOURNALISTS PAY THE PRICE OF WAR
"Reporting Iraq: the Challenge for Public Service Broadcasting" - Speech by Andrew Murray, chair of the Stop the War Coalition, March 27, 2003.
IFJ says attacks on journalists in Iraq are "Crimes of War" that must be punished
Amnesty International questions attacks on Palestine Hotel and Al-Jazeera
ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS ARE "WAR CRIMES" SAYS NUJ
MTV Europe heads tells station not to broadcast videos of war
Kucinich Takes to The House Floor To Call For An End to The War
Radio Vatican spreads pope's anti-war message around the world
US Drops 'E-Bomb' On Iraqi TV
We Work for Peace and Justice
WHILE OTHERS STOOD SILENT...
War Update from www.rense.com
24/7 Journalism Exposed
Bitter Rice - an Israeli looks at the war
Leaked BBC memo explains negative attitude to coverage of dissent.
PENTAGON THREATENS TO KILL INDEPENDENT REPORTERS IN IRAQ
Reporting War on Iraq: The Challenge for Public Service Broadcasting
MEDIA ACTIVISM (continued)
WAR SPIN
ACTIVISM PAYS OFF (II)
Times, NPR Change Their Take on DC Protests
ACTIVISM PAYS OFF (I)
BUSH'S "BLUEPRINT FOR US GLOBAL DOMINATION"
SELLING THE WAR
WAGING WAR ON IRAQ TO WIN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS
WAR TALK
