(English translation at end of post)
Eine Gruppe von 17 US-Kongress-Abgeordneten besucht zur Zeit den Irak, um sich über die Lage und über die Fortschritte zu informieren. Angesichts des von Präsident Bush angeforderten Budgets für den Wiederaufbau des Irak in Höhe von 87 Mrd. US-Dollar sind diese vor Ort gewonnenen Informationen für die Entscheidungsfindung der Abgeordneten sehr wichtig.
AP (US-Version) berichtet von den Eindrücken der Kongress-Abgeordneten:
"Rep. Jim Walsh, a New York Republican and member of the 17-member Congressional delegation visiting Iraq, said at the end of the daylong tour that the lawmakers were convinced Iraq has "tremendous potential" despite the "tremendous amount of damage done to the country by Saddam Hussein"."But it becomes very clear that the American public needs to be very patient with Iraq, there is along way to go," Walsh said. ...
After visiting Baghdad, the delegation flew to the northern city of Mosul, where Lewis told reporters he expected most of his colleagues to support the administration's $87 billion spending request despite reservations in both the House and Senate.
Wir halten fest: die Abgeordneten stellen einen erheblichen Schaden fest, der von Saddam angerichtet wurde. Die meisten der Abgeordneten - Republikaner wie Demokraten - werden trotz Bedenken dem 87 Mrd. US-Dollar-Budget zustimmen.
Das machte die WELT aus dem Besuch der US-Abgeordneten:
US-Abgeordnete schockiert von Lage in Bagdad Republikaner Lewis: Schlimme Eindrücke von Infrastruktur und bei Besuch eines Krankenhauses. Bagdad - Mitglieder des US-Kongresses sammelten am Sonntag vor Ort Eindrücke von der Not der irakischen Bevölkerung. Die Delegation unter Leitung des republikanischen Abgeordneten Jerry Lewis besuchte das größte Krankenhaus der Hauptstadt Bagdad. Nach einer Führung durch die Entbindungsstation zeigten sich die Abgeordneten besorgt über die hohe Kindersterblichkeit in Irak.„Wir sind schockiert vom Zustand der Infrastruktur im allgemeinen, und dieses Krankenhaus spiegelt wider, wie schlimm die Lage tatsächlich ist“, sagte Lewis. Das Krankenhaus El Jarmuk war im Krieg kaum beschädigt worden, allerdings hatten Plünderer einen Großteil der Einrichtung gestohlen. ...
Der von der WELT vermittelte Eindruck ist: katastrophaler Zustand der Infrastruktur im Irak, hohe Kindersterblichkeit, früher (doch wohl unter Saddam?) funktionsfähige Krankenhäuser sind nun geplündert. Kein Hinweis im Artikel der WELT, daß die Abgeordneten Saddam für die katastrophale Lage verantwortlich machen.
Der WELT-Artikel verschafft jenen Kritikern des Irak-Krieges Argumente, die die Lage des Irak unter Saddam verharmlosten und die Situation nach der Befreitung schlecht schreiben und senden.
Ein feines Stückchen Desinformation...
English Translation
A Piece of Disinformation from WELT
A group of 17 US Congressmen are currently visiting Iraq in order to inform themselves on the situation and on progress that has been made. Considering President Bush's budgetary request in the amount of $87 billion for rebuilding Iraq, the information gathered on-site by the Congressmen is very important in the decision-making process.
AP (US version) reports on the impressions of the Congressman:
"Rep. Jim Walsh, a New York Republican and member of the 17-member Congressional delegation visiting Iraq, said at the end of the daylong tour that the lawmakers were convinced Iraq has "tremendous potential" despite the "tremendous amount of damage done to the country by Saddam Hussein". "But it becomes very clear that the American public needs to be very patient with Iraq, there is a long way to go," Walsh said. ... After visiting Baghdad, the delegation flew to the northern city of Mosul, where Lewis told reporters he expected most of his colleagues to support the administration's $87 billion spending request despite reservations in both the House and Senate.
We can clearly determine: The Congressmen recognize the significant damage wrought by Saddam. Despite reservations, most of the Congressmen - Republicans as well as Democrats - are going to vote for the $87 billion budget.
This is what the (German daily) WELT made of the visit by the Congressmen:
US Congressmen Shocked by Situation in BaghdadLewis, Republican: Terrible impressions of infrastructure and from visit to a hospital.
Baghdad - Members of the US Congress gathered impressions of the suffering of the Iraqi people this Sunday on the ground in Iraq. The delegation led by Republican Congressman Jerry Lewis visited the largest hospital in the capital city Baghdad. After a tour through the maternity ward, the Congressmen expressed concern at the high level of child mortality in Iraq."We are shocked at the condition of the infrastructure in general, and this hospital reflects how terrible the situation really is," said Lewis. The hospital El Jarmuk was barely damaged in the war, however, looters stole virtually everything from the facility.
The impression we get from the WELT is: Catastrophic condition of the infrastructure in Iraq, high child mortality, the hospitals that once functioned (could it be under Saddam?) have been looted. No hint in der WELT's article that the Congressmen hold Saddam responsible for the catastrophic situation.
The WELT article provides arguments to those critics of the Iraq War who have repeatedly played down Saddam's reign of terror in Iraq while casting the situation after the liberation in the most negative possible light in their articles and broadcasts.
A fine piece of disinformation...
Translation by Ray D.
I find your site indispensable, but I confess I gird myself before clicking. :- (
Do you pick out the worst, or are the news and opinions you cite truly typical? (And I find myself not wanting to believe the truth, like so many critics of MEMRI.)
What drives this all-but-invariable misrepresentation? What can be done about it? Aaargh!!
Posted by: Alene Berk | September 29, 2003 at 07:14 PM
Well, I'm not David, but my impression is that this is the fairly regular pattern. As soon as you read something about Iraq, it ends up in US Bashing. At least in the longer articles. With short ones, you get the feeling "the tactic" is to either bring up only "bad news", or simplify the matter to a point where the reader ends up insufficiently informed. Thereby, "good news" are only such short reports, if at all. It's all about giving impressions to the reader. Big article = Big deal - short article = who cares?
You know, I used to read newspapers daily during breaks at work, but during this year and before I found them to be only a bad joke anymore. This was well before I discovered David's site. And before I've ever read a pro-US/Israel book like some of Henryk M. Broder's. Why I was not screwed by our media lays in two points I guess:
1. I did never buy into that "NO WAR! NEVER, NOWHERE, FOR WHATEVER!"
2. I noted the irrationality not only in that ideology, but also in the US bashing. One would think we learned from the irrationality of Anti-Semitism in our history, but no.
The US Bashing is done in a manner and on a regular basis you wonder if there is a state of war between the US and Germany. Especially because not only on the issue of Iraq you get anti-american articles, but you even find articles on inner US issues with the same agenda. Kinda "Look how stupid Bush is" "Look how the Democrats are fighting the evil Republicans" "Look how foolish the Americans are" "Look how the UN is in a struggle to keep the foolish Americans from blowing up the world". To me personally, it's just frightening. And ppl take it, they are that stupid and biased, cause they like to hear it. Works into the "Great, we are not the only ones who screwed up in our history big time" direction, you know.
So, this is one of the reasons, and the other one is the fact that leftist/socialist media is in the great majority here, and the US, the success model of capitalism second to none, is the natural enemy, especially when ruled by Republicans. Simple as that.
Greetings, and I wish I could have told you otherwise,
Alex N.
Posted by: Alex N. | September 29, 2003 at 11:12 PM
Unfortunately, I have to agree this bias is typical. I have seen worse examples; our regional newspaper (with over 750.000 readers) could on its own provide half the material for this blog.
But public TV and radio are the worst, for three reasons: first, they are supposed to be 'quality', second, they are very influential in Germany, and third, I have to pay for them with my license fee. Quite often, they are not even trying to look balanced and the language is pure propaganda. Some 'documentaries' I have seen - their technique would have made Goebbels proud, and I do not say that lightly. The terrifying thing is, no one seems to notice.
Posted by: Werner | September 30, 2003 at 04:27 PM
Werner, I do! But what can we do against it?
Posted by: Rike | September 30, 2003 at 06:39 PM
A fine piece of disinformation indeed.
I saw this article in the Welt and I was puzzled. Now I know why.
Et tu, Welt? I thought this was one of the few non-America-bashing German news outlets.
To the first poster, I would simply reinterate the views expressed in the follwing three comments. The level of blind, ignorant anti-Americanism here in Germany is truly disheartening.
By the way, David, congratulations on your big new numbers. I hope you're getting a lot of readers in Germany, where your insights are most needed.
Posted by: kid charlemagne | October 01, 2003 at 04:08 PM