The stupidity of Agence France Presse

[Grenadier]

Now wait a minute... Are the coalition forces using some new type of cartridge that holds the brass casing to the bullet after it's fired?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/realclearpolitics/20070821/cm_rcp/web_holds_journalists_feet_to_1

Jack Kelly Tue Aug 21, 10:30 AM ET


A great moment in journalism it wasn't. At 6:58 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, Aug. 14, Agence France Presse distributed a photograph by Wissam al-Okaili, an AFP stringer, of an elderly Iraqi woman holding two cartridges in one hand. The caption that accompanied the photo read: "An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she said hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City."

Worth a read, if you want some laughs, when it comes to unscrupulous journalists, their utter ignorance of firearms, and their inability to tell the truth to promote an agenda.

 

[Sukerkin]

Oh my giddy aunt! If they're going to lie to us at least let them have the decency to be half-way convincing :faints:.

 

[bydand]

Hey, give them a break guys, those darn things hurt when somebody throws them at you. Must be all the firearms were at the shop getting a bath so the forces just had to chuck their ammo. :idunno:

Man I thought our media was a bunch of lame weasles, but leave it to the French to take stupid reporting to a new level.

 

[CoryKS]

No surprise, really. The stupidity of Agence France Presse and their readership was firmly established six years ago.

 

[Mr. E]

From the article,

I sent AFP an email asking whether disciplinary action has been taken or is contemplated against Wissam al-Okaili, who pretty obviously is a propagandist for the Mahdi army, or against the photo editor, whoever he or she is. I've received no reply.

If they ever respond, could someone post it in this thread? If more articles by the same person get published, I would also love to hear about that.

Honestly, how can someone covering a war zone not know this type of thing? Anyone who has been near a firearm going off knows about casings. The editor back in France might have an excuse, but the guy on the ground has either spent his entire time safely in his hotel room (it happens) or has terminal stupidity. Who the hell would step into a war zone without learning at least that much about something that may be used against you?

 

[Andy Moynihan]

It's from a Part of Europe. There are entire nations in Europe where people barely know what a gun *is*. This doesn't surprise me.

 

[MA-Caver]

You mean... that... wasn't... true? The old lady was lying to us?


Awww man!


Maybe the insurgents think we're stupid because we haven't left yet?

 

[KenpoTex]

those weren't fired?...oops

doesn't it suck when facts get in the way of someone's agenda.

 

[grydth]

My, my..... isn't this reminiscent of the bogus photos Reuters published, courtesy of the trustworthy Hezbollah, to smear isreal last summer?

But now ask yourselves - despite obvious fabrications like these, despite bloodthirsty enemies who have committed every war crime in the book..... Exactly who is winning the propaganda war? What is the general image of our troops around the world and here at home?

The virtual ceding of the field of media and public opinion to the cannibals and the America haters for years is an inexcusable act of neglect.