Now the press can't photograph or videotape violence in Iraq?

[babylonsister]

Why is the US military enforcing this 'law'?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/10/polish_ambassador_wounded_one.php

snip//

Szaniawski said the attack, which took place a few hundred meters from the Polish Embassy, seemed to target the ambassador.

"We still don't have the reasons for the attack," he said, adding that the embassy is not in the Green Zone.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said American officials provided transportation to the hospital and medical care.

"This is a matter of great concern and we condemn this barbarous attack on a diplomatic convoy," Nantongo said.

U.S. Army and Iraqi troops sealed off al-Arasaat street where the attack took place. "Little Bird" helicopters, the type used by Blackwater USA, were seen flying above the bombing site, although it was not immediately known what role, if any, the North Carolina-based company has in providing security for the Polish diplomat. An unidentified wounded man with bandaged head, leg and hands was seen walking toward one of the choppers.

snip//

U.S. authorities confiscated an AP Television News videotape that contained scenes of the wounded being evacuated. U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl told the AP the government of Iraq had made it illegal to photograph or videotape the aftermath of bombings or other attacks.

[Vinca]

1. Shrub wants us all to believe that we're prancing through sweets and flowers

bring democracy to the grateful Iraqis. Arms and legs flying through the air doesn't fit into the plan and we must not know about it.

[babylonsister]

8. Sigh. This is almost as bad as hiding caskets. Out of sight, out of mind? nt

[spanone]

2. unbelievable....was Blackwater taking 'care' of the Polish Ambassador

one of the big points yesterday was that NO ONE had died or been injured when in blackwater's care.

[Solly Mack]

3. I recall reading about that a little while back

I'll see if I can find the article.

[Canuckistanian]

18. I think it happened around April

I could be wrong.

[Solly Mack]

26. Real close - May. I read about in LBN.

Haven't found that thread (LBN) yet but found this


http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1921675.htm

and


http://209.85.129.104/search?q=cache:l9uOjxCUr_oJ:news.findlaw.com/ap/e/53/05-15-2007/0869000963cd5599.html+Iraq+government+bans+reporters+from+attack+sites&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5

[TomInTib]

4. Since when? They're not counting them, anyway. nt

[poverlay]

5. Was that one of Bremer's, or is it more recent? n/t

[babylonsister]

6. I have no idea. nt

[Lone_Star_Dem]

7. It would appear the government of Iraq met one of Bush's benchmarks

:mad:

[Squatch]

9. Never fear...just check out Liveleak.

[babylonsister]

10. Whoa. I didn't know about that site-thanks. nt

[wtmusic]

11. Looks like Iraqi highways are packed with oil tanker trucks

Helping the Iraqis remove their oil. Go USA! :eyes:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d74_1191444944

[babylonsister]

12. .

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. It's then time for them to go underground and SMUGGLE out the film.

Can we call it Fascism yet?

[smoogatz]

14. The rationale is that some insurgent groups apparently film their attacks

(and the aftermath) so anyone seen filming near the scene of an attack would, under Iraqi law, be detained and questioned, and their film/cameras confiscated.

[Liberal In Texas]

15. That's a lame excuse. Journalists have credentials.

This is no different than the ban on taking pictures of the returning dead.

They're managing the information flow and thus the news and public opinion.

[babylonsister]

16. That's exactly what they're doing. nt

[Imagevision]

17. YouTube is the only way footage is getting out of Iraq, key in Iraq war, you'll be amazed

at what the troops are uploading... Over a year ago the Pentagon stated they would be editing ALL footage from Iraq, otherwise Americans and the world would have first hand knowledge of what is really occurring.

[snot]

19. Not just the Iraq govt --

you might be interested in this story, if you hadn't seen it:

http://c-cyte.blogspot.com/2007/07/nyc-set-to-restrict-photos-and-videos.html :

"NYC to Restrict Photos and Videos in Public Places

"A group called Picture New York is organizing resistance. You can view and add protest videos and comments on YouTube starting here, and you can sign a petition here. As one interviewee comments, "I already have a permit for my camera; it's called the First Amendment." It seems likely the new rules would have required Picture NY to get a permit to shoot its protest videos -- a process that might easily have delayed the effort beyond the closing of the comment period on the rules, which ends August 3.

"'The NY Times reports that the city’s tentative rules include requiring any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour (including setup and breakdown time) to get a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance. The regulation would also apply to any group of five or more people who would be using a tripod for more than ten minutes, including setup and breakdown time. (Excerpted from the Gothamist).'"

(missing links are available at the link above)

[4nic8em]

20. This is what's know as

the winning of "American" hearts and minds.

[tuckessee]

21. Maybe Lt. Col. Bleichwell doesn't want competetion.

Seems the ubiquitous spokesman himself is quite a shutterbug, providing puff pix for pure propaganda such as this http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/jun2007/a060507sj1.html and more.

[Faryn Balyncd]

22. When the Iraq govt. wants to exile Blakewater, NO DEAL ! But when the AP takes photos, we claim...

".......the government of Iraq had made it illegal to photograph or videotape the aftermath of bombings or other attacks."

[Faryn Balyncd]

23. (accidental duplicate comment)

[Blackhatjack]

24. This is what happens when the Press becomes an arm of the Govt propaganda machine....

When the Press agreed to government approval of their stories and pics in exchange for allowing them to be 'embedded' with the troops, they gave up any hope of the telling the truth about what was really happening there.

Now the very lapdog press that has so obediently followed every instruction of the Bush Administration just rolls over when they confiscate their film of a news event.

So sad. Not only for them... but for our country.

[orleans]

25. who wants to see that kind of stuff anyway?

i mean, it's really such a downer.

you see that and then who will want to go out shopping?

[dave123williams]

27. Right, because if you don't see it, it's not really happening.

[rodeodance]

28. This law is relatively new====several months at the most..