The Disinformation Campaign

The Guardian ^ | October 4, 2001 | Phillip Knightley

[upchuck]

Yeah, well... my disinformation is more correct and/or incorrect then your disinformation. Nah Nah Nah!! SO THERE!!

[Freemyland]

"The problem is that although many atrocity stories are true - after all, war itself is an atrocity - many are not." So, does this author believe the pile of debris in Manhattan is merely an atrocity story?

[dirtboy]

So, does this author believe the pile of debris in Manhattan is merely an atrocity story?

EXACTLY. The intervention in Kosovo was fueled partly by false stories from the Western Press. But it's kinda hard to fake the twin towers being gone from the NY skyline.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

I have never heard the Kuwait baby incubator story. Has anyone else?

[Grut]

I have never heard the Kuwait baby incubator story. Has anyone else?

It had a fair amount of circulation at the time but reminded people of too many preposterous atrocity stories to get much credence.

[lavaroise]

... and the Guardian has a pattern of disinformation too, avoiding the contextual fact of 5,600 dead Americans at the WTC. You know, some people have this way of projecting their mental weaknesses that is beyond the staple ideas fed pathetic moron who can't think for himself but parrot around lies.

[Aurelius]

The Kuwait incubater story?

Absolutely. I remember it very well. It was all over TV. The video of the girl testifying before Congress was shown over and over.

[Denver Ditdat]

It had a fair amount of circulation at the time but reminded people of too many preposterous atrocity stories to get much credence.

I heard and discounted it for just that reason. It reminded me of reading about propaganda from past wars, such as the mythical bayoneting of French babies by German soldiers during WWI.

Overall, though, it seems that Knightly is of the mindset that it's never too late to emulate the late, unlamented Neville Chamberlain. "Peace in our time!", indeed.

[Aurelius]

"...the mythical bayoneting of French babies by German soldiers in WWI."

This was recycled in WWII but applied primarily to Japanese soldiers with Chinese babies. Making of soap from human fat was already attributed to Germans in WWI. German officers in WWII were also accused of making tobacco pouches from human scrota (this apparently was practised to some extent by U.S. Calvarymen in the Indian wars of the late 19th Century). All in all, it shows that these propagandists don't have much imagination.

By the way it is also alleged, by a not unreliable source, that FDR treasured a paper knife carved from the femur of a Japanese soldier that was sent to him by a soldier fighting in the Pacific.

[Billthedrill]

Odd - I don't see them mentioning the other disinformation campaign that begins every time the U.S. takes military action anywhere in the world - the mindless recitation of every activity that the U.S. has taken for the last fifty years that has somehow impacted on the historical inevitability of leftwing military takeovers of countries friendly to the U.S. The reason is that the Guardian is, and always has been, one of the frontline participants in that campaign. We'll be hearing "stop the bombing" from the usual group of useful idiots in an increasing chorus in the next few weeks...but the Guardian will somehow fail to classify that as "disinformation"...

[Eagle Eye]

Do you also remember how the Bush administration told how they virtually had to twist the Saudi's arms to get them to state troops there and then prince Bandir later told how he invited them ther gladly? "Diddle me once, sham on you. diddle me twice, shame on me."

Or when James Baker, when asked of the reason of Desert Shield, said,"In a word: Jobs"?

I was in uniform at that time and wondered how many soldiers were worth each job to be saved. So many of the reasons we were told were later shown to be bogus I had a hard time believing anything else that the Bush administration had to say after that.

[DallasDeb]

The video of the girl testifying before Congress was shown over and over.

As I recall, the young woman was the daughter of a Kuwaiti diplomat here in the US. I don't think she was even in Kuwait at the time.

But that's beside the point. Wonder why all these peaceniks don't take their peace-making schemes directly to the "crazies" of the world.

[truth4all]

... and the Guardian has a pattern of disinformation too, avoiding the contextual fact of 5,600 dead Americans at the WTC. You know, some people have this way of projecting their mental weaknesses that is beyond the staple ideas fed pathetic moron who can't think for himself but parrot around lies.

First off, try to comprehend what you are reading before commenting on it. He said we are at stage two and three, stage four are the fake atrocities, so we shall see. Here's a heads up, because you obviously need it, I'm pretty sure he was not referring to the 6,000 some people murdered in the terrorist attacks as examples of fake atrocities (Are you still with me?). He is predicting acts of barbarism falsely created by the mass media and attributed to Bin Laden/Taliban, similar to the completely fabricated Iraq "baby incubator" story prior to Desert Storm. (I'm nearly finished. Hold the knee-jerk reaction for a couple of seconds more)

As for your specious personel attacks and ranting accusations of parroting lies, these serve as a good indication of your mindset. Good luck. Gavin.

[a history buff]

I've shared mutual acquaintances with the ambassador's daughter. She is considered to be utterly mendacious and bereft of scruples.

[Grut]

the mythical bayoneting of French babies by German soldiers during WWI.

It reminded me of that, too.

Just a quibble, though: if my somewhat ancient memories of my mother's even more ancient memories of WW1 are accurate, it was Belgian babies.

[Denver Ditdat]

Just a quibble, though: if my somewhat ancient memories of my mother's even more ancient memories of WW1 are accurate, it was Belgian babies.

Never question a mom! You( and she) are right, and thanks for the heads up.

[lavaroise]

Who cares! You seem to be looking at the tree of propaganda instead of the forest of propaganda portraying the muslim world as moderate and not needing our wrath.

As far as the collateral casualties of innocent lives getting killed or mere virtual assault of propaganda, it's too bad. Get a grip.