masse plaudenti ad uso e consumo dei media

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg at tin.it>]

la foto che compare su sito e' eloquente, da l'idea di una piazza
completamente vuota, e poche persone attorn olla statua
Nello

11.04.2003 [08:06]

  fonte:Venik/www.aeronautics.ru
Mass joy for mass media
 Most of you have already seen the jubilant crowd of Baghdad's residents
taking down the bronze statue of Saddam Hussein in the downtown Baghdad. In
reality this "monumental event" turned out be just as illusory as
coalition's proclaimed control of the Iraqi capitol.

Every television news network in the world concentrated on the Fardus Square
in Baghdad. Located across the Palestine hotel - home to dozens of foreign
journalists reporting from Baghdad - until recently the Fardus Square was
dominated by a huge bronze statue of Saddam Hussein.

Surrounded by what appeared to be a sizable crowd of Iraqis a US tank
recovery vehicle was pulling on the cable tied around the statue until it
came down to the delight of the cheering crowd. Television networks showed
jubilant Iraqis jumping on the US tank recovery vehicle apparently to thank
its driver for taking down the statue. Later we observed a group of Iraqis
pulling the statue's head down the street.

It was difficult not to wonder why the US soldier driving the tracked
vehicle that took down the statue appeared to be so relaxed surrounded by a
mob of Iraqis. Elsewhere in Iraq US soldiers frequently open fire on
civilians approaching checkpoints. But here in Baghdad, where thousands of
Iraqi troops are still battling the US forces, a US armored vehicle with a
single unarmed soldier in it was surrounded by a crowd of cheering Iraqis
and the soldier did not appear to be particularly concerned.

In the end the big picture (literally) revealed the true events that took
place on the Fardus Square: the square was surrounded by the US tanks and
the "jubilant crowd" turned out to be two dozen of Iraqis, some of which
were recognized as Iraqi opposition members delivered to Iraq by Pentagon
just days earlier.

Several strategically placed cameras created an impression of a large crowd.
Iraqis cheering US troops in Baghdad - just another "Potemkin village"
staged by the Pentagon PR teams. Meanwhile the "official" US casualties in
Iraq have reached 105 killed, 399 wounded and 18 missing. The war is over.
Maybe not.


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