Friday, December 29, 2006

Bedtime Stories

NPR joins in the cover-up of the US (and British) role in the creation and support of now-executed dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. Under the premise of debating whether networks should air the videotaped execution of Hussein, ATC brings on David Folkenflik who narrates the following fairy tale: "Saddam Hussein is an unusually familiar dictator for American viewers. The US has led two wars against him and he’s been interviewed by CBS and CNN several times over the years. When US forces took Baghdad, they created a powerful symbol for television viewers by toppling his statue…and then US troops found his spider hole hideout…after Saddam’s capture his dental exam was videotaped and shown on American networks. His trial was televised, including his repeated outbursts, and now his death is about to be chronicled."

"Unusually familiar dictator"--I'll say! "Powerful symbol for television" (i.e. staged propaganda). "Dental exam was videotaped" (Geneva Convention violation). "His trial was televised" (kangaroo court). Goodnight kids, sleep tight.

If you look for any substantive coverage from NPR news about US support for Hussein's dictatorship, you will find nothing. If you search all of NPR you will find one puny report on Day to Day with all the information provided by Mike Shuster.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It continues this AM with mikey schuster. He NEVER mentioned any ties between Saddam and the U.S., never mentioned the U.S. backing of the coup that put him in power, never mentioned the urging and arming by Rummy on the Ian war, never mentioned that Iran had and used chemical weapons, and never mentioned the conversation between April Glassby and Saddam before he invaded Kuwait. Schuster did mention that no WMD were ever found, but he never mentioned that Blitz had said there were none, or that El Baridei had said there was no nuke program. This was one of the most intentionally distorting broadcasts I have ever heard on NPR.

Porter Melmoth said...

Plus, the use of the term 'spider hole' to describe Saddam's hideout (embracing the silly mythos lingo of this sick saga), made this 'report' even more worthless.