Since the start of the illegal war against Iraq, mainstream US media have been publishing front page photos of Iraqi
captives, a clear violation of Geneva Conventions. Yet the US media have simultaneously condemned al Jazeera’s broadcast
footage of American POWs as illegal under the same international law. But when smaller, non-corporate, newsmakers make
similar editorial decisions, there can be serious consequences. The Yellow Times has even been shut down by its website
hosting service due to their reproduction of the print version of al Jazeera’s report. The powers that be need to know that
for every ‘radical’ website shut down, many more will spring up to take its place, and mirror its content, and report on
its suppression. Accordingly, we are posting the original al Jazeera article in its entirety here at theExperiment,
accompanied by stills from the video that originally aired on al Jazeera TV.
Please be forewarned of the graphic nature of
these photos, sensitive eyes should be averted.
2003.04.04
Since the start of the illegal war against Iraq, mainstream US media have been publishing front page photos of Iraqi
captives, a clear violation of Geneva Conventions. Yet the US media have simultaneously condemned al Jazeera’s broadcast
footage of American POWs as illegal under the same international law. Apparently, the double standards that have allowed the
US to wage a war against Iraq without UN approval (but WITH internationally outlawed weaponry: http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1916) apply to the media as well.
Of course, the major networks and daily papers will not dedicate much space to critics of their own editorial policies, and
there is currently no outside body with the capacity to curb these activities. Yet, when smaller, non-corporate, newsmakers
make similar editorial decisions, there can be serious consequences.
Al Jazeera stations have previously been targeted by Anglo-American bombs (http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1562), and more recently their new English language
website (http://www.english.aljazeera.com) has been attacked
by super-patriotic hackers (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/27/iraq/main546424.shtml). As of this writing, the website is
still not functioning.
The Yellow Times has also been shut down by its website hosting service due to their reproduction of the print version of al
Jazeera’s report (http://www.unknownnews.net/yellowtimes032403.html).
It is the responsibility of alternative news sources to generate the coverage of US violations of international law that the
mainstream media have neglected to report. As an alternative news provider, theExperiment is in solidarity with both the
Yellow Times and al Jazeera. The reporters and editors at these organizations did not initiate this war, they did not kill
these soldiers. They are simply disseminating truth about the war on Iraq, albeit in such a way as the warmakers deem
unacceptable.
The powers that be need to know that for every ‘radical’ website shut down, many more will spring up to take its place, and
mirror its content, and report on its suppression. Accordingly, we are posting the original al Jazeera article (below) in
its entirety, accompanied by stills from the video that originally aired on al Jazeera TV.
Please be forewarned of the graphic nature of these photos, sensitive eyes should be averted.
Iraq Provides First Proof of US Captured and Dead
2003.03.25
The bodies of at least 10 dead US troops have been shown on Al Jazeera TV in the last 24 hours. US military authorities
confirmed that there have been casualties.
Four US prisoners were also interviewed by Iraqi TV. Three men and a woman confirmed their names and where they came from.
Two of the prisoners appeared wounded; one was lying on a mattress on the floor apparently bleeding from his stomach.
According to Al Jazeera the casualties were sustained after US-led troops came up against stiff opposition while trying to
secure the southern city of Nassiriyah.
US central command later admitted that they had lost 12 men near the city and a further 10 were missing with 50 more injured.
One of the captured soldiers Percy Miller, a private first class, confirmed that he came from Kansas. When asked if he had
come to kill Iraqis, he replied “No, I came to fix broke stuff. I was told only to shoot if I’m shot at. They shot at
me, so I shot back. I don’t want to kill anyone.”
Specialist Joseph Hudson, who gave his number as 585650287, said “I was told to come here. I follow orders.” The
wounded captive whose first name is Edgar, also stated that he came from Texas.
Sgt. James Riley, visibly shaking, stated that he came from New Jersey and was part of the 507th Maintenance Company and
confirmed his age and date of birth. A female soldier, named Seana, confirmed her age and stated she too came from the 507th.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld responded to the Iraqi TV pictures by saying that the Geneva Convention prohibits
photographing prisioners. He admited that a small number of US troops were missing.
The tape showed some US soldiers lying dead from gunshot wounds to the head and body.
Denouncing the decision to show the dead and captured soldiers, he said: “It seems to me that showing a few pictures on
the screen, not knowing who they are and being communicated by Al-Jazeera, which is not a perfect instrument of
communication, obviously is part of Iraqi propaganda.”
President Bush and his defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who have come under heavy criticism from human rights groups for
America’s treatment of suspected Al-Qaeda and Taliban members as “enemy combatants” – a status that strips them of all legal
rights – also denounced the Iraqi media coup.
For the last two days US and British TV channels have carried footage of Iraqi soldiers being captured and being forced to
kneel while they are searched.
Some US networks last night refused to air the tape. CBS showed only a few seconds while NBC broadcast none at all. CNN said
its international programming would carry short clips but only a single frame in the US.
But Al Jazeera defended its decision, taking a swipe at the US for citing UN conventions while waging a war with no UN
backing.
“Countries all over the world should abide by all UN conventions. You can’t pick and choose as you please,” an official
said on condition of anonymity.
“We did what our professional duty calls upon us to do. We aired news.”
Al Jazeera
[ The Memory Hole (http://www.thememoryhole.org) has also
mirrored the original article at:
http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/articlefccf.html?cu_no=1&item_no=881&version=1&template_
id=263&parent_id=258 ]
Author: Gabriel Voiles
News Service: theExperiment
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