A chilling portrait, unsuitably framed

[kskiska]

Photo of al-Zarqawi's head framed like a venerated image, or war trophy

By Philip Kennicott

WASHINGTON - The frame surrounding an image of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's head, revealed to the world as proof the terrorist is dead, is bizarre. When the picture was displayed at a U.S. military news briefing, Zarqawi's face was seen inside what appeared to be a professional photographic mat job, with a large frame, as if it were something one might preserve and hang on the wall next to other family portraits. One function of frames is to bound an image, and close down its open edges; frames delimit, both physically and by extension, metaphorically. But that was the last thing this frame was doing.

(snip)

A strange dignity
So will this image, given a strange dignity by its prominent frame, be a defining image of the war? Not likely. Its primary function is forensic. It proves, in an age of skepticism (heightened by a three-year history of official claims about the war turning out to be false), that Zarqawi is indeed dead. But beyond that, the image has little power. Indeed, as with so many images in this war, it is loaded with the potential to backfire.

Among the dissenting voices in the hubbub yesterday were those worried about Zarqawi's status as a martyr. And here, again, the frame plays a very odd role. In many traditions, a framed picture of the deceased suggests something like an icon, something to be venerated. Photographs of journalists photographing the image at the news briefing showed Zarqawi's face looming above them. One might believe, for a moment, that they had gathered to bask in its exalted presence.

The image itself, a disembodied head, connects this event to the abject misery that Zarqawi had brought to so many people in Iraq over the course of his deadly career. He was the one who reportedly sawed off the head of Nicholas Berg, and now Zarqawi's head was appearing, lifeless, eyes closed, as if it too were somehow detached from his body. For those who want revenge, the head of Zarqawi is a welcome sight; but it reminds others how much this war has been about cycles of killing, retribution, tribal and sectarian violence, and the most primitive destructive urges.

more…
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13212323/

[liberalmuse]

1. Good article!

When I saw the picture in what looked like a gilded frame, it was, WTF? The Bush cabal gives me the fucking creeps. I don't know of any but the most debased type of governments (Hitler's Nazi Germany once again comes to mind) who ever did this type of bizarre shit/propaganda.

[genieroze]

4. got a link for the pic?

[jean]

2. bush must have a gallery for such pictures. This one is framed and ready

to hang in such a place. Uday and Qusay Hussein were similarly photographed, although I don't recall their death portraits receiving gilt framing.

[wabeewoman]

3. Rate this article up -its at 1.5 now

on MSNBC. I had almost given up hope of ever reading an article like this from a mainstream media outlet. Its about time but I was wondering as I was reading it if Rove and his underlings were on the phone threatening the reporter yet.

[KoKo]

5. A "war of trophies." Interesting way to think of it. Makes sense ....

I tried to rate it but it must have expired. It's an article worth thinking more about. One that Dems could use in campaigns if any were so bold..