Why do people believe Saddam's spokesman?

[russ_watters]

Saddam's Spokesman
Warning: for a news report, this is largely opinion.

Some excerpts:

"The Iraqi information minister stands in front of the cameras, a grim smile on his face, a military beret on his head, and declares forcefully, "There are no American troops in Baghdad!" Meanwhile, black smoke rises in the distance behind him, weapons fire can be heard all around, and American tanks rumble down streets only yards away."

"At U.S. Central Command in Qatar, spokesman Navy Capt. Frank Thorp says "one of the most powerful images" of the Iraq war so far was a TV split screen with Sahhaf on one side claiming there were no coalition forces in Baghdad, and on the other side, American tanks driving down the street. "At that point, I knew the war of words was over," Thorp says."

"Who is this guy, and does he think he is fooling anybody?...Very possibly, he is, both in Iraq and in the wider Arab world..."

""He makes everyone feel good even if we know it's all lies," says Dina Lahlou Ammouri, a Moroccan freelance journalist in Amman, Jordan."

Can someone explain this to me? Some people know he's lying but don't care, others think he is telling the truth? Is this some sort of mass delusion? Is it even a delusion if you know its lies?

Even some people in this forum have taken what is said by this guy at face value despite their own evidence to the contrary.

I'm at a loss here, I really don't get it. Can someone explain it to me?

 

[FZ+]

People always believe what they want to believe.
It's a fact really. People like to ignore the truth if they can, and to many some news, however crap, is better than none.

Even some people in this forum have taken what is said by this guy at face value despite their own evidence to the contrary.

Really? Where?

[Gets out ignorance-bashing kit.]

Or maybe some people are so cynical of allied news (what with being fooled about 7 or so times in the last two weeks and all) that they prefer the Iraqis - at least their lies are obvious...[?]

 

[kyleb]

Originally posted by russ_watters
Can someone explain this to me? Some people know he's lying but don't care, others think he is telling the truth? Is this some sort of mass delusion? Is it even a delusion if you know its lies?

i have been curious about those same questions for quite some time now, especially sense the war propaganda here started flowing; i really don't have a clear answer as to why this happens in general though. in particular situation however, i have considered that many of them may well be simply mocking us.

 

[damgo]

I don't think anyone believes him any more. At the beginning of the war it was the same level of propaganda you heard coming from the coalition: "everything is going according to plan, we are winning on all fronts, victory is assured" but at around the time troops reached Baghdad, it just became comedic.

When the US announced it had taken the airport, his response "the Americans are no place, they are nowhere, they control nothing, they are not within 100 miles of Baghdad." A few hours later it was "we have won control of the airport, we have repelled the invaders, victory is ours."

I like listening to the "wacky Iraqi" now just because it's darkly humorous. You realize that if Bush could lie that well, he would have not just the UN, but probably the Arab League as well behind him in this war?

 

[BoulderHead]

"The Iraqi information minister stands in front of the cameras, a grim smile on his face, a military beret on his head, and declares forcefully, "There are no American troops in Baghdad!" Meanwhile, black smoke rises in the distance behind him, weapons fire can be heard all around, and American tanks rumble down streets only yards away."

Every side lies, distorts, etc. I guess it's tough to admit you have been defeated, and people are suckers for what their 'leaders' tell them, no matter what side they are on. Still, I wonder what the disinformation minister will have to say as he is led off to a POW camp.

 

[drag]

That Al-Sahaf is SOOOO funny !
I bet he's just preparing for his libaration
so he could go to the US and give lectures
at 100-grand for each. I mean, he looked
so happy and optimistic denying the tanks
were there when everyone could see'em across
the river...
(Maybe the regime wasn't all bad if they
had someone as funny as Al-Sahaf in it.)

Live long and prosper.

 

[russ_watters]

Originally posted by FZ+
Really? Where?

In another thread a member linked a photo which supposedly provided evidence that all coalition vehicles entering Iraq have been destroyed (as of yesterday). Trouble is, the photo showed something burning that was unidentifiable, with two Bradley's driving past it. The Bradleys had clearly NOT been destroyed.

 

[damgo]

The wacky Iraqi is apparently gaining a cult following! Sweet!

But across the world he is wooing a growing army of fans - one woman told a British radio phone-in she found him "sexy".

It's not his looks, though, but his way with words that television viewers like- even if they don't always believe what is coming from his mouth.

His enemies are never just the Americans or the British. They are "outlaws", "war criminals", "fools", "stooges" - an "international gang of villains".

Faisal Salman, managing editor of the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir, wrote that Arab TV viewers "are eager to listen to his funny words". Some even call his press conferences the "al-Sahhaf show."

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12283444,00.html

 

[enigma]

Originally posted by BoulderHead
Still, I wonder what the disinformation minister will have to say as he is led off to a POW camp.

I keep picturing a "Monty Python" sort of scene...
Your city has fallen.
No it's not.
There are tanks driving through the downtown parkway!
It's just a figment of your imagination.
*Marines show up and arrest him*
Nothing is happening! Nothing is happening!
*Marines carry him off to the POW camp.
Help! I'm being repressed!

 

[Nicool003]

People always believe what they want to believe.

You might want to re-word that. Is it wrong for me to believe in God or my religion? Is it wrong for me to believe Saddam is evil? Is it wrong for me to believe that what some people have said in this thread and others is wrong? No, it isn't.

Or maybe some people are so cynical of allied news (what with being fooled about 7 or so times in the last two weeks and all) that they prefer the Iraqis - at least their lies are obvious...

Yeah Iraqi lies are obvious. Like their minister of defense or whatever he is, says on TV things such as: We are pushing the Americans back and are winning the war. Yeah and people believe that because...

 

[russ_watters]

Originally posted by damgo
The wacky Iraqi is apparently gaining a cult following! Sweet!

Hell, maybe he'll end up on CNN some day. Geraldo made the jump. So can he.

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by enigma
I keep picturing a "Monty Python" sort of scene...
Your city has fallen.
No it's not.
There are tanks driving through the downtown parkway!
It's just a figment of your imagination.
*Marines show up and arrest him*
Nothing is happening! Nothing is happening!
*Marines carry him off to the POW camp.
Help! I'm being repressed!

LOL, exactly.

Or the Wizard of Oz;
"...Pay no attention to that army behind the curtain, they are not the the great Oz..."

 

[drag]

Originally posted by BoulderHead
Still, I wonder what the disinformation minister
will have to say as he is led off to a POW camp.

That's my point, he probably won't be, he is
not a real military commander or even soldier and
as far as I know there are no war crimes or
anything like that attributed to him.
I'm telling you - he'll go to the US and read
those 100-grand lectrures.

Live long and prosper.

 

[BoulderHead]

Haha, I hope he gets some tomatoes along with the money.

 

[FZ+]

You might want to re-word that. Is it wrong for me to believe in God or my religion? Is it wrong for me to believe Saddam is evil? Is it wrong for me to believe that what some people have said in this thread and others is wrong? No, it isn't.

Ok.
People always try to believe what they want to believe.
Did I make a judgement on whether that is "right" or "wrong"?

And now he is saying "The Americans are about to surrender. They will surrender or die in their tanks."

Die laughing presumeably.

Nah, he's got a good career ahead of him as a comedian.
Or a politician, coming to a senate near YOU!