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Iraq-Jordan
Iraqi Television Turned into a Weapon
2005-04-05
April 5, 2005: A two month old Iraqi television program, "Terror in the Hands of Justice," is proving to be a decisive weapon in the fight against terrorists and anti-government forces. The program shows captured terrorists confessing to their crimes, which are described in grisly detail. The show has to be one of the more useful applications of Information Warfare of late. Al Jazeera always played up Americans hurting Iraqis, when in fact most of the Iraqi casualties in the past year have been inflicted by Sunni Arab terrorists. Getting the captured terrorists on TV regularly resonates londly with most Iraqis. There may soon be a similar program doing the same thing regarding the criminal gangs, who pull off dozens of kidnappings, and even more robberies, rapes and burglaries each week. But for now, the idea is to get Iraqis believing that if they pass on information about the terrorists, the Iraqi cops can catch them. By letting everyone know that the terrorists are not invincible (which is the al Jazeera line), you get the tips needed to catch more of them. The show runs twice a day, and has been denounced by American liberals as encouraging vigilante justice by the Iraqis. That is does, and it works. By law, every Iraqi household can have one firearm (usually an AK-47), and these weapons are not being turned on the carloads of armed terrorists and criminals who used to boldly cruise through neighborhoods unhampered. Security, or the lack of it, is a major complaint among Iraqis. Now the terrorists and criminals are on the defensive. Disarming the Iraqi population won't be possible until there is a lot less crime. A lot of those weapons will have to be taken out of circulation eventually, if only to cut down on the family, and tribal, feuds that often turn into gun battles. But you've got to start somewhere, and expecting American troops to do it all by themselves was never a realistic possibility.

Sunni Arab Iraqis want the show shut down, fearing that it will inflame anti-Sunni Arab feelings. But the fact is that most of the current violence is committed by Sunni Arab terrorists and nationalists who want the Sunni Arab minority running the country again. Moreover, many Sunni Arabs are victims of the terrorist and nationalist attacks. The most valuable tips are coming from Sunni Arabs, fed up with the atrocities being committed in their behalf.
Posted by:Steve

#10  As Heinlein said (with my addition)...

An armed society is (eventually) a polite society.
Posted by: OldSpook   2005-04-05 2:06:12 PM  

#9  As Heinlein said (with my addition)...

An armed society is (eventually) a polite society.
Posted by: OldSpook   2005-04-05 2:06:12 PM  

#8  As Heinlein said (with my addition)...

An armed society is (eventually) a polite society.
Posted by: OldSpook   2005-04-05 2:06:12 PM  

#7  ...denounced by American liberals as encouraging vigilante justice...

What don't American liberals denounce as "vigilante justice"? Hell, they call our cops that half the time.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-04-05 12:51:30 PM  

#6  How come we can't see this program in the US? Why doesn't FOX translate it and put the highlights on once a week?

It will be more compelling television than the typical crap they put out. And whem is Baghdad CSI coming out?
Posted by: Penguin   2005-04-05 11:40:27 AM  

#5  I'm sure in Texas, the average is 3 or 4 per household.
Well, per household member. I've lost count, myself.
Posted by: Steve   2005-04-05 10:53:26 AM  

#4  Gun grabbers can't resist pushing their agenda in every forum possible.

This show is apperently having the desires effect. Liberals who by and large hate the United States due to their deep psychological problems with the US being a great place to live and wonderful country, can't stand this.
Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom   2005-04-05 10:45:32 AM  

#3  "A lot of those weapons will have to be taken out of circulation eventually..."

Have to? Why? Especially since "By law, every Iraqi household can have one firearm..."

I have two Myself, and I'm sure in Texas, the average is 3 or 4 per household.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-04-05 10:24:53 AM  

#2  "Bad boys, bad boys . . watcha gonna do when they come for you . . . "
Posted by: ex-lib   2005-04-05 10:24:23 AM  

#1  ...denounced by American liberals as encouraging vigilante justice...
Quagmire! Quagmire! *yawn*

Disarming the Iraqi population won’t be possible until there is a lot less crime. A lot of those weapons will have to be taken out of circulation eventually, if only to cut down on the family, and tribal, feuds that often turn into gun battles.
Well, I guess we know how this author feels about gun control and giving the Iraqis their own version of the 2nd Amendment. I also like how he states his opinions as absolute fact. He's a subtle one...
Posted by: Dar   2005-04-05 10:17:24 AM  

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