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US propaganda war over Zarqawi a draw, some say
Insurgents and the United States use propaganda such as the video of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi fumbling with his rifle as a tactic in the war. But some analysts say neither side has been effective in exploiting such messages to achieve its goals.Basim al-Sheik, editor in chief of the Iraqi daily ad-Dustour, said both sides are trying to sway public opinion. "In reality, both sides lost," he said. "Al-Zarqawi lost his support when he carried out his barbaric acts against innocent Iraqis, and the Americans lost when they failed to stop it and arrest him. The only one who pays is the Iraqi citizen." Video released Thursday by the U.S. military command showed a frowning al-Zarqawi struggling with his machine gun and wearing American tennis shoes. U.S. officials said the clips were edited from a version posted on Islamist Web sites last month that depicted al-Zarqawi as a confident warrior. Reaction among Iraqis appeared divided along sectarian lines. Shi'ites, the group attacked by al-Zarqawi's followers, seemed more inclined to accept the lampooning of the militant. Sunnis, who form the core of the insurgency, repeated doubts. "If it is authentic, the part of the video I saw on TV today shows that al-Zarqawi lacks the basic knowledge of weapons that any soldier should have," said Abdel-Hassan, a Shi'ite government employee. "This could hurt his image." But a Sunni, Sattar al-Dulaimi, questioned whether the Americans have their own agenda for al-Zarqawi. "The reason the Americans haven't captured or killed al-Zarqawi is that they need an Al Qaeda connection to justify their occupation of Iraq," he said. Shortly before noon Friday, a roadside bomb killed three U.S. soldiers in Babil province, south of Baghdad. The U.S. military did not provide other details. But Iraqi police said a military convey was the target of the blast. Denmark plans to cut 80 troops from its 530-strong contingent in what officials call a reorganization of forces, the government said Friday. The troops are in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. The plan, expected to pass, will be presented May 18 to lawmakers. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-05-06 |
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