April 08, 2005

Washington Times, Like Every One Else, Is Looking At the Wrong Pulitzer Prize Photo

The Washington Times does a half-ass job of questioning the Pulitzer Prize in this editorial. The article raises important questions, but like most of the blogosphere and those in conservative circles, they examine a single photo.

But there were 20 photos in the series. As we have been arguing from the beginning, what is troubling is the totality of the story those photos show. The story those photos tell is of an empowered insurgency, demoralized U.S. troops, and American brutality.

Several of the photos are disgusting, such as the one in question which shows the execution of Iraqi election officials and another which shows the residents of Fallujah celebrating the murder of American civilians as their charred bodies hang from a bridge, but it may be the case that these photos were taken by Iraqi photojournalists who were anonymously tipped off or who just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

We have also noted in the past that the photo in question is not nearly as damning as two others which clearly indicate something like 'embedding' with the isurgency is (or was) going on with AP stringers in Iraq.

Here are the two photos. One of insurgents in Fallujah with ties to Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al Qaeda network firing on U.S. Marines and another of al Sadr's Mahdi Army which was then fighting against U.S. troops. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 04:18 PM | Comments (27) | Add Comment
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April 06, 2005

The Pulitzer and Terrorist Embeds

Yesterday, a stringer for CBS News was shot by U.S. troops in Fallujah. Steve S. has the report here. So, why was the man shot at? Yahoo News:

The U.S. military said in a statement from Mosul released at the Pentagon that U.S. soldiers had been involved in an engagement with at least one suspected insurgent who was "waving an AK-47 (assault rifle) and inciting a crowd of civilians."

During the incident, "an individual that appeared to have a weapon who was standing near the insurgent was shot and injured. This individual turned out to be a reporter who was pointing a video camera," the military statement said.

Let's get a few facts straight. The individual shot at here may not have been embedded like AP photographers were. He may have just come across this scene after it began.

Maybe.

Paul at Wizbang makes the case and Rathergate note that it is quite possible that the AP stringer who shot this photo just happened upon the scene. Granted.

However, while most of the blogosphere is up in arms against that photo, the really troubling photo is this one.

bilal_hussein_photo_fallujah.jpg

This photo has no other explanation than that of the AP photographer being privy to the highest ranks of the insurgency. The photo was taken in Fallujah, where the 'resistance' was led by two well known terrorist groups, al Qaeda in Iraq and The Army of Ansar al-Sunna, and their salafist sympathizers of the Fallujah Mujahidin Shura Council--the religious leaders of the city that instituted a Taliban-like rule when the U.S. withdrew from the city.

As we noted when that photo was first taken, these 'insurgents' are in clear violation of the Geneva Convention because they wear no identifiable uniform. The photo also appears to be staged. All the evidence seems to suggest that the AP photographer, Bilal Hussein, had access to terrorist forces and was 'embedded' with them in every sense of the word.

Here is one more photo taken by the AP and which helped them win the Pulitzer. This time, the reporter is clearly embedded with Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army at a time when they were fighting U.S. troops. Note, again, the absence of identifiable uniforms. The dove on the fighters shoulder is just the icing on the cake.

mahdi_army_pulitzer.jpg

While it may be argued that the murder witnessed by an AP photographer in Iraq was not staged for his benefit, clearly the above photos were. The Pulitzer Prize was, in fact, given to an organization that has information, ties, and serves the propaganda purposes of terrorists.

Aiding the enemy in a time of war is treason. The AP, an American non-profit organization, is guilty of that crime.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:58 AM | Comments (40) | Add Comment
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April 04, 2005

Pulitzer Prize Given to Terrorists

The Pulitzer Prize has been "Awarded to the Associated Press Staff for its stunning series of photographs of bloody yearlong combat inside Iraqi cities."

What photographs won for Breaking News Photography?

The 20 photographs can be found here.

5 of the 20 photos were taken by journalists who were working with terrorist forces. 11 of the 20 photos would likely cause anti-American inflamation. Only two show Americans in a positive light. Three more show the victims of terrorism.

Included in the 5 photos are 1 photo taken by Bilal Hussein [more background on Bilal Hussein here and here] of terrorist forces firing at the U.S. in Fallujah. Another photo identified as taken by a 'stringer' shows terrorists murdering an Iraqi election worker. Both of these photos are by individuals who saw Geneva Convention crimes and did nothing to stop them. Both photos indicate also that the individuals who took them had prior knowledge to the crimes being committed.

Of the remaining 15 photos, 2 show prisoners receiving harsh treatment by U.S. forces [here and here]. One more shows a dead child identified as being killed by the U.S. Another photo, taken by Khalid Mohammed, shows the residents of Fallujah rejoicing as they hang the charred bodies of dead American civilians on a bridge. The famous photo that caused Kos to cry 'screw them.' The family of an alleged Abu Ghraib victim is also shown mourning. Displaced children from the Fallujah conflict are also shown, the exact story Giuliana Sgrena was working on when she was taken hostage.

Only these two photos are positive. One shows the humanity of soldiers on patrol. The other one shows soldiers praying for a fallen comrade. But even the last one might be interpreted as defeatist.

To their credit, at least three photos show the victims of terrorism. See, fair and balanced.

No photos show U.S. troops rebuilding Iraq. No photos show U.S. troops playing with kids in the street. No photos show the results of the first democratic election in Iraq. No photos show the thousands of freed prisoners from Saddam's tyrranical rule.

The Jawa Report must therefore decline it's Pulitzer Prize. I might consider taking the $10,000 reward as soon as the Pulitzer committee stops hating America.

Thanks to Avenue for the tip.

Update 4/06: I have a new post up about the controversy. The most important photos is not the ones currently stirring up such emotions in the blogosphere. Instead, two other photos clearly show that the AP has ties to terrorists and insurgents fighting the U.S.

Update: Vivi e-mails to remind us that the Associated Press is a non-profit organization. So here we have a group that has terrorist sympathizers on their payroll yet is tax exempt? There is something wrong with this picture. I wonder if the Finance Committe might look into that status?

UPDATE: A lot of other fine bloggers have important things to say on this topic. You can find them by checking out the fatwas issued below. Especially good, in my not-so-humble opinion, are Michelle Malkin's take and that of Riding Sun (via the blogfather Charles Johnson) who has a very similar take as my own.

If you're new to The Jawa Report why not surf around? Maybe, add us to your favorites list? And if you're a blogger please, for the love of all that is holy, add us to your blogroll!! If you don't, the terrorists have already won.

Blogroll mypetjawa!

Others: Joyner missing the real story here. Cranky and Mark cheer Jawa, will receive fatwa ASAP. Eric has some pics more fitting the Pulitzer. Itsalanche from Dr. Glenn Reynolds.

Posted by: Rusty at 05:25 PM | Comments (99) | Add Comment
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