Voices of Iraq - Not Heard in Germany

"Chaos in Iraq" is the mantra of the German media reporting on the post-Saddam era (there were no chaos theories circulating in the German media during Saddam's reign, of course). Beheadings, suicide attacks, bombings, etc., are used as proof of the alleged complete failure of the Iraq invasion. Doomsday scenarios by self-proclaimed "experts" are quoted extensively to embellish the message of "Chaos in Iraq".

There are other opinions, but they are hardly heard of in the German media.

The same fate likely awaits "Voices of Iraq", a 75-minutes documentary about the real life and times of the Iraqi people. I guess in case of a Kerry victory the media - German or U.S. - will switch to a "things are improving fast in Iraq" mode. Then, and only then, will "Voices of Iraq" stand a chance.

Quote from Frontpage Magazine:

Two former MTV producers have accomplished what the entire mainstream media thus far has not: they’ve captured the real life and times of the Iraqi people.

They didn’t do it alone, however. Producers Eric Manes and Martin Kunert sent 150 digital cameras into Iraq this April with very simple instructions: “Videotape your neighborhood, shopping area, where you

live and work, pray, relax, and play” and interview “people who have the most meaning in your life.” ...

Thousands of Iraqis turned in over 450 hours of footage, and the results surprised even Manes and Kunert. ...

Throughout VOI, kids are seen being kids: laughing, playing, teasing, roughhousing. ...
Interspersed with that were painful reminders of Iraq’s all-too-recent savage history, including former victims of Saddam’s torture having a conversation over dinner and video of Shia in the south recovering skeletal remains from mass graves. Though a few longed for the “stability” and “security” of Saddam’s regime, no one seen in VOI was under any delusions about the despot. ...

Iraqis’ elation at Saddam’s demise should not come as a surprise. The most chilling moments of the film were four brief clips from official Fedayeen (Saddam’s paramilitary) videotape footage: a blindfolded and handcuffed man thrown from the top of a building, falling to his death; a boy’s hand being chopped off; two blindfolded young men, boys really, sitting on a bomb as it detonates; and a beheading.

Lasting no more than 15 seconds and completely silent, those images will haunt even the most jaded for days.

(Source: Cox & Forkum)

(click on pic to enlarge)

This side of evil, the real enemy of VOI is the mainstream media. Armed with footage that somehow eluded the multimillion-dollar big news operations, the $500,000 film occasionally throws up newspaper headlines—only to show how woefully wrong they were.

From the movie:

“We can’t work on the street anymore...” quoting the Newsweek bureau chief, 4/13/04, which is placed over images of Iraqis casually strolling down the street. “Fear of Militants Forces Ordinary Iraqis to Stay Home,” San Francisco Chronicle, 5/16/04—over video of Iraqis packed into an outdoor marketplace. “Iraq may survive, but the dream is dead,” New York Times, 5/7/04, which is seen over footage of wedding celebrants jumping for joy, and followed by shots of exuberant youths rejoicing their college graduation.

Iraqis are nobody’s fools. They are far savvier and more sophisticated than most would realize, particularly the paternalistic, peacenik left, which thought Iraqis were better off under Saddam. VOI has ordinary Iraqis talking about Saddam’s commonly-known harboring of al Qaeda operatives and how foreign governments don’t want Iraq’s democracy to succeed and are thus helping funnel terrorists into the country. ...

One extended scene showed nuanced political disagreements within one family, spats not that unlike what one would find inside a typical American household. The clan’s pre-teen son, Hasooni, bright and smiling, lacked any confusion or inner conflict, though.

When asked what he “wants to be in the future,” Hasooni exclaims, "American."

(Translation check by William)

(Hat tip Markus Netzer and Franz Hoffmann)

Comments

[Sandra N]

I'd love to see this film. Where and when will it air?

[Kees Rudolf]

Interesting, but those who have decided to stick to their opinion that Iraq after the US-led invasion is nothing but chaos, will dismiss in advance "Voices of Iraq" as right-wing pro-war propaganda, all the more easily since FrontPageMagazine is commenting favourably on it. The observation that "there were no chaos theories circulating in the German media during Saddam's reign" should be an eye-opener, but who are willing to have their eyes opened?

[Helian]

ARMCHAIR GENERALS

Speaking of "chaos in Iraq," you have to laugh at the armchair generals, Monday morning quarterbacks, and other “military geniuses” of all stripes serving as journalists for the mass media in Europe and the US. If they’d been around in the fourth century B.C., they surely would have declared Alexander the Great “incompetent” for the “complete mismanagement” of his Middle Eastern campaign. Just look at how long it took for that imbecile to take the little city of Tyre! I’ve just read another screed, this time from the Associated Press, announcing that “Heads may Roll!” because of “recent reverses in the war.” Unnamed “sources” close to the government apparently disclosed that “the heads of some American AND BRITISH military chiefs would roll because of recent reverses” in the war. I notice that the article has been quoted in the “Washington Post,” which noted that, “blame is attached to…intelligence,” and that, “For the mistake, both the British and US services must accept joint responsibility.” Another well-known US reporter has chimed in with the usual refrain, noting that we, “did not know enough about the preparations” of the enemy, and hence failed “to ready adequate defenses.” AP quoted another reporter to the effect that the Pentagon was responsible for “a lot of favorable news which gave the public a general feeling of overconfidence.”

Oh, by the way, the AP article was dated December 26, 1944, and the “recent reverse” referred to was the Battle of the Bulge. They’ve been at it for a long time, haven’t they? Evidently the likes of Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, and Montgomery were all nincompoops and morons. According to the article, “US troops are kept on the front line, with fresh men being brought up only as replacements, … whereas the Germans took out their first-line troops after Normandy and sent them to rest camps. ‘Experienced Germans, refreshed after a long rest, are now taking the offensive against us.’” My God! It was a debacle (to coin a phrase)! Think of all those fresh German troops, just waiting to pounce on our exhausted and decimated boys! Oh, the humanity, the slaughter! Wait a minute…didn’t we win World War II? Astounding, isn’t it? I guess miracles still do happen!

[N. Hale]

I heard about this earlier when the cameras and the videos and photos were being analyzed. I was very pleasantly surprised when the response was overwhelmingly positive towards the regime change that took place in Iraq. I know that everything is not perfect in Iraq, but I also know that everything is not as bad as the mainstream media keeps reporting.

I want to see this film with my own eyes as soon as possible. I wonder if the two German television stations playing Fahrenheit 9/11 tonight will also play this film? We will have to wait and see.

[markus netzer]

In a way the concept of this film reminds me of 'the sorrow and the pity', a four hour documentary by Marcel Ophuls, that smashed in the 70s the wide spread de Gaulle invented myth of 'nearly all french having been insurgeants and resisters against the Nazis' between 1940 and 1944. As for Voices of Iraq, that documentary didnt use any offs or commenting at all, but consists, nearly exclusively of interviews (with real resistance fighters, collaborators and as a vast majority, stupid people not caring about nothing but having their baguette next morning). The impact of this film has been enormous. And the only way some people tried to tackle this film was to say: Ok, but who tells me, that Ophuls, nevertheless a jew, didnt do editing in a way that distorts the image coming out, in the direction he wants it to be (and I can tell you their have been people supporting that claim later on, that worked for arte at the beginning!). But those people didnt succeed. Too strong the power of authenticity of the statements made, to real the overall image drawn by the film. Added, that this time even 'directing' was done by the protagonist themselves, I'm pretty optimistic for the impact of this film.

markus

p.s.: its interesting to know that Ophuls did that film not only for to show to a broad audience, that there was a great number of french people that collaborated with the Nazis and a still greater number that was literally indifferent with regard to the Nazi-crimes taking place in their country, but for to tackle the national media. Those (esp. TV) were under full control of the governement at this time and consequently refused to air that film for nearly 12 years. And isnt it absurd that the emancipation of MSM from the censoring power of governments, that began in these years have taken us today to a situation, were the very same MSM abuse of their power of independence, now deciding themselves, what reality is allowed to exist, and what part of it not. From the abuse of media to selfabuse, from censorship, to autocensorship, its really wierd. So lets keep on blogging.

[Downer]

Welt-Reporter Hannes Stein spricht mit einem Anhänger der Demokraten, der Bush hasst, Condi hasst, Rumsfeld hast, ja so ziemlich alles hasst, wofür die Bush-Adminstration steht. Hass macht ja bekanntlich blind, und das nicht nur lediglich auf einem Auge:

Mein Freund George
Kolumne
von Hannes Stein

Neulich im "Café Einstein" in Berlin. "Auch wenn du mir jetzt hinterher nicht den Tee bezahlst", eröffnete ich meinem Freund George, "muß ich dir sagen: Wenn ich Amerikaner wäre, würde ich George W. Bush wählen." George schnaubte leise, aber feurig. Dazu muß man wissen, daß George ein überzeugter Demokrat aus Michigan ist - in den letzten paar Jahren hat er unter kaum etwas so gelitten wie unter dem Umstand, daß er seinen Vornamen mit dem 43. Präsidenten der USA teilen muß. "Also, ich würde Bush wählen, wenn ich einen amerikanischen Paß hätte", insistierte ich unbarmherzig. "Aber ihr gebt mir ja nicht mal eine Green Card."

http://www.welt.de/data/2004/11/02/354506.html

[markus netzer]

@sandra N.

their used to be a preview-clip of 6 minutes @
http://www.voicesofiraq.com
(right now the server is down ...)
To my knowledge the film is out in couple of cinemas in the US and available on DVD

kind regards

markus

[hm]

Meanwhile...

Michael Moore is also sending out people with video cameras. 1200 of them.