I mean that is the channel that most Iraqis watch, why are we not taking it over and telling them that Saddam is done, and that we are here to liberate them. I don't get it...we should be trying to reach out to the Iraqi people. DD
Yeah, let's take over Iraqi TV and broadcast American Idol, The Bachelor, and Survivor. That will make them surrender a lot faster than shooting or bombing them...
just show them one episode of the simpsons, possibly cape fear. then tell them saddam is the reason they won't get to see any more homer. his regime would be gone in a little under an hour.
DD - Isn't that against the Geneva Conventions? I'm pretty sure I read an article that said that was the case (yes, even for state-run media).
On Fox News last night they said that Iraqi TV had not been taken over in part because of its location. Taking out Iraqi television would mean bombing an area where western journalists are based.
If they really wanted to piss off the fundimentalists, they would take over Iraqi TV and show nothing but advertisements for "Girls Gone Wild" and "Pork: The Other White Meat". Ordinary Iraqis would probably enjoy it.
DD, I began to wonder this very thing after the news a few days back about us taking over the radio. I would think if it were, it would apply to radio as well. I may be wrong but I doubt it j/k . Rocket, could you do a little research and find out if that is the case as well as why it would not apply to radio if it is. I know for several days now we have been controlling their radio and airing messages on what we want them to do and what we are doing etc.
It just seems that the media is such a huge tool in this war, if we took over Iraqi TV and then began broadcasting that the war was over, and that Saddam was no longer in control, the rest of the country would rejoice and fall in line. We could start the reconstruction much faster. DD
DaDak, I'm asking myself the same question... I have no idea why we let them have their tv for this long anyway...
British take over Iraqi TV in Basra Claire Cozens Thursday March 27, 2003 British forces have taken Iraqi state radio and television off the air in Basra, according to unconfirmed reports from the BBC's correspondent in southern Iraq. The report, published today on the BBC's website, claimed transmitters in Basra were destroyed in overnight air raids and coalition forces have taken over a number of radio frequencies. The allied military is now broadcasting its own messages to the people of Basra, effectively isolating Basra from any communication with Baghdad. Questions were raised yesterday about the legality of the bombing of Iraqi media following an attack on the headquarters of the country's main state television service in Baghdad. Amnesty International said the bombing could be a breach of the Geneva convention, which restricts attacks to military targets. But US officials have insisted TV stations are a legitimate military target as they are part of Saddam Hussein's "command and control network". Iraqi satellite TV, which broadcasts outside the country, went off air temporarily following the attacks while Iraq's domestic state-run television station resumed broadcasting with a weaker service. http://media.guardian.co.uk/iraqandthemedia/story/0,12823,923776,00.html Just a quick search for this -- just note the Amnesty International part for the Geneva Conventions take.
Published on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 by Reuters Group: Iraq TV Raid May Break Geneva Convention _ BRUSSELS - The head of the world's biggest journalists' organization said a U.S. bomb and missile attack on Iraqi television on Wednesday was an attempt at censorship and may have breached the Geneva Conventions. "I think there should be a clear international investigation into whether or not this bombing violates the Geneva Conventions," Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), told Reuters. "We have every reason to believe this is an act of censorship against media that U.S. politicians and military strategists don't like," he said. A U.S. official in Washington earlier said the raid had hit the main television station, a key telecommunications vault and Baghdad satellite communications, damaging the government's command and control capability. But White said U.S. strikes would have targeted television earlier if it had been a military target. "There is no question that this attack reflects the anger and frustration of political leaders in the United States over the showing of prisoners on television and the use of television to boost the morale of Saddam Hussein supporters," said White. "This is the only credible explanation for this attack." He said the IFJ, which represents more than 500,000 journalists in 100 countries, believed there was no military justification for the raid, which recalled NATO's bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo war three years ago. "Once again, we see military and political commanders from the democratic world targeting a television network simply because they don't like the message it gives out," he said. Despite the attack, Iraqi television came on air at about 9 a.m., and state radio was also broadcasting normally. Iraq's 24-hour international satellite television channel ceased broadcasting during the raids but came back on air at about 0920 GMT with patriotic songs. The IFJ said international law forbade attacks on television and radio stations unless they were used for military purposes, and there was no evidence this was the case in Iraq. Nor did the IFJ believe television broadcasts could include coded messages to the Iraqi army. "The idea that Iraqi soldiers are sitting in the desert watching television to get their orders is absurd," White said. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0326-02.htm Oh, and before anybody attacks me for linking to a liberal site -- all I did was do a google search. Sorry I can't find anything more substantive, but I'm at work.
Taking over control of their television seems like a very sensible thing to do....you want to let the people know how to be safe during the final stages of the war? Simply broadcast it on TV. Tell people that we are here to help them, start outlining what our plans are for Iraq, the sooner they know that we are here to help, the better. DD
To be fair I have actually only said that I wanted counter programming to Al Jazeera. I wanted us to set up our own PRO US television station, now I am advocating taking over the Iraqi station. Pgabrial, shouldn't you be arguing about reparations or something? DD
DaDakota, as much as I would like to take offense to this, I will just let you know, that I don't believe in reparations. Don't make an (ass) out of (u) and (me).
Well I don't know if it's related but this night US troops blew up the journalist's building.So now they might as well take over the Iraqui TV... ALA
Good, Getting rid of the Saddam propaganda machine is a HUGE leap forward in the war with Iraq. People need to know he is not in control, and quite possibly dead, that way they can put down their weapons and get on with a Free Iraq. DD
YEAH! I now we have control of Iraqi television. Lets show them how we corrupt our youths here in America!!!!
