Article

2003-09-04 Iraq

Baathist Propaganda from "Baghdad Burning"

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Posted by John Moore (Useful Fools blog) 2003-09-04 1:48:47 AM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I remember the missiles dropped on Al-Amriyah shelter- a civilian bomb shelter in a populated, residential area in Baghdad.

That was the "civilian shelter" with the forest of radio antennas and convoys of staff cars, right? The one that worked so well as a propaganda coup for Saddam that he ordered all command centers to do double duty as civilian shelters?

I wonder what this guy did for a living while Saddam was in control.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2003-9-4 8:35:14 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com] 2003-9-4 8:35:14 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Riverbend's a woman.

Posted by Sharon in NYC 2003-9-4 9:23:11 AM|| 2003-9-4 9:23:11 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 My apologies to her, then: I wonder what she did for a living while Saddam was in power.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2003-9-4 9:36:21 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com] 2003-9-4 9:36:21 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 deep knee bends for Baathists, apparently

Posted by Frank G 2003-9-4 10:34:22 AM|| 2003-9-4 10:34:22 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Some sort of internet thing. As we learned with Salam, who the hell do you think had internet access in Saddam's regime?

Posted by someone 2003-9-4 10:53:37 AM|| 2003-9-4 10:53:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 I've been reading her for awhile. She was born in Iraq to Iraqi parents (I think she's about 27 now), moved overseas to a western country and then moved back to Iraq. What connections does a family have to have in order to enjoy such freedom of movement? She doesn't say. She was a software developer. When we nailed Qusay and Uday, she dripped with contempt that we needed all that firepower just to get 4 guys holed up in a house. I've been watching closely but have yet to see her contempt for what she sees as the idiocy of U.S. troops tempered for the Iraqis did in Kuwait. And "someone", what's the deal with Salam - I was out of touch for the end of April and all of May and I've wondered if anyone figured out what the deal with him is.

Posted by grayp 2003-9-4 11:10:30 AM|| 2003-9-4 11:10:30 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 grayp - while Salam and Riverbend had western conversation and humor down, the only way they could have such freedom of access, travel is because of close ties to regime higher-ups. Salam's family was fairly well off by Iraqi standards, and that doesn't happen by accident.

Posted by Frank G 2003-9-4 11:20:30 AM|| 2003-9-4 11:20:30 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 With albiet a quick perusal of her blog though, I found it interesting that no comments can be made on HER site! This attribute is, I suppose, useful for the propogandist--why dilute your message with messy and potentially factual discourse from the opposition? Hmm...do you suppose she'll respond to reason posted to her email link?

Posted by TiltingWindmill 2003-9-4 12:06:57 PM|| 2003-9-4 12:06:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I don't generally pay attention to Riverbend. She's constitutionally incapable of seeing the other side, which makes her of limited interest in my opinion. Salam can see the back of his own head - it makes him interesting and illuminating even when he says stupid shit.

My theory on Riverbend is that she was either an internet censor or ISP spy under the old regime. She makes a big deal out of being out of a job at her old ISP and blames it on Islamist sexism. Of course, "they don't have any use for Ba'athist censors any more" just doesn't have that same sympathetic ring, does it? The Islamic sexism of the new regime doesn't seem to be vile enough to keep her out of the cafes, does it?

Pax's family is apparently part of the old financial apparatus, given what he's said. Well-off and certainly not brave insurgents, but not al-Tikriti thugs or Party higher-ups. The sort of folks that do well by being useful, without being particularly political.

Posted by Mitch H. 2003-9-4 2:52:45 PM|| 2003-9-4 2:52:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 John Moore, brilliant fisking.

Posted by Yank 2003-9-4 5:20:44 PM|| 2003-9-4 5:20:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 So why are you giving this ~~take a bath~~ Baathist whore space on here--screw the haridan--file her under Islamic Ann Coulter--but hopefully a more feminine/less dykish one

Posted by Not Mike Moore 2003-9-4 11:58:13 PM|| 2003-9-4 11:58:13 PM|| Front Page Top

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