home

Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Tue Jun 07, 2005 at 01:20:06 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

We wrote about this in April, it's big in MSM today. First, from our post:

taking reality tv to new heights or lows, depending on your viewpoint, an Iraqi television station is broadcasting confessions of alleged terrorists obtained during interrogations.

"A man, appearing disheveled and uncomfortable, sits on a wooden chair in a dim room of what appears to be a police station. As an interrogator peppers him with questions, the man says he was part of a gang that kidnapped and murdered Iraqis during the past two years in order to create a split between Shi'ite and Sunni Iraqis. But he says his acts were not holy war. They were blasphemous."

"Police say his name is Ramzi Hashem and he carried out the bombing nearly two-years ago at a Shi'ite shrine in Najaf that killed senior Shi'ite cleric Mohammed Bakr al-Hakim and 100 followers."

"During the interrogation Ramzi Hashem also admits to committing rapes and taking drugs. Prisoners in other interviews on the program say they were paid an average of $150 per killing and after committing 12 murders were given the title of prince (emir) and paid a salary."

The Christian Science Monitor (MSM article linked above) has U.S. experts and soldiers praising the show:

Col. Thomas Hammes, an insurgency expert at National Defense University in Washington, called the show a "powerful first step" in undermining the insurgency. "Obviously, the first thing the government has to do is convince people that it can govern, so that they see the value of coming forward with information," he says.

US officers in Iraq say that the nightly show has encouraged more Iraqis to come in with intelligence tips.

< China to Require Weblogs to Register With Government | Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson: R.I.P. >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions | 7 comments (7 topical)
    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:48 PM EST
    I'm a big fan of reality TV so I think it sounds kind of cool. I'd watch it!

    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#2)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    "Next week: Ramzi Hashem faces off with Donald Trump in a pit full of desert scorpions! Don't miss it!"

    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#3)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    griggen, If you like reality tv, then I know you'll be excited to know that a Federal Court just ordered our Government to turn over videos and photographs of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib. A major problem with the televised "confessions" is that the practice of torture has continued under the new government (also here). Even innocent people will confess if you torture them enough. Worked for the Soviets during the Stalinist purge trials of the 1930s.

    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    Oh boy, yeehaw, tune in next time as Vanna White extracts more wild and wacky confessions from our panel of prisoners who may or may not be guilty of anything on Iraqis Say The Darndest Things! On our next show, you'll laugh yourself silly as Carson Daily, star of mindless MTV fluff shows for teen girls who just got their first pube, pelts our panel of prisoners with everything from fruit to chains to whips to even his own urine!!!! to get them to confess to the most outlandishly hysterical alligations you've ever heard!! You don't want to miss this folks!

    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#5)
    by LochNess on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    One thing that should scare people about this is this quote at the bottom of the linked article: He says the show compares favorably to the more contrived programming of Saddam's time. "This show is an example of government accountability," he says. "This is democratic." It's democratic? On what planet?

    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    Wow, sure as hell didn't take long for their level of programming to reach that of the U.S. networks.

    Re: Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions (none / 0) (#7)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    John Horse, Iceberg ahead.

    Iraq Reality TV Plays Confessions | 7 comments (7 topical)