Scoop Feedback 1: War Images The US Wants Censored

Wednesday, 2 April 2003, 11:44 am
Article: Scoop Feedback

The following feedback has been received from Scoop readers in response to our decision to publish graphic pictures from Al Jazeera, ArabNews.com and other sources showing the true horror of war.

Scoop Editorial - Scoop Continues To Publish Reality Of War Images.

Photos - War Images Feature Page (WARNING. GRAPHIC IMAGES MAY DISTURB).

Scoop welcomes reader feedback. Please send your news and views to mailto: mailto:editor@scoop.co.nz or via Scoops ‘mail the editors’ form…

Scoop - consider who you bomb..

These pictures must be an optical illusion, since the world is being told repeatedly by the moron and his junta, that this "war" is to "liberate" the Iraqi people. Maybe now they know why the Iraqi people are not rushing forward with flowers to thank their "liberators".

My heart cries with every person hurt, injured and killed in this "war" for some few people's profits.

There are no words to describe my disgust with the "liberators".

I remember as a child having been "liberated" by the same "freedom-loving" nation back in Germany, and I have seen many "liberations" since, i.e. Korea, Iran (1953) Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Panama, Nicaragua, Afghanistan etc. (I may have forgotten some liberations).,

After looking at these photographs, why don't we talk about terrorism?

Rolf Meyr

Scoop This!

You are sick and twisted. Your scoop of shit is a disgrace. This is in regards to your crapatorial.

Scoop Continues To Publish Reality Of War Images 27 March 2003, 12:52 pm Opinion: The Scoop Editor

I agree that you have the right to show the truth, but your reason for showing the truth is negated with your opinion. You are no better than the extreme people you speak of in your crapatorial. Your comments are stupid and unfounded. How dare you make generalizations of the American people viewing their TV and drinking beer? As though we don’t care, and we want to suppress the people of the Middle East. Do you want us to understand the fear in the eyes of these young soldiers you call murders? Do you want us to see the death of these young innocent Iraqi children? You fanatics! The only reason your against the Coalition and the war, is because of hatred towards Americans and their policy. Admit it! Why don’t you compare apples to apples? Iraq to the US. The US is one of the handfuls of countries that make huge efforts to reduce civilian deaths. It’s also a democracy t

You are a weak unable to stand up to what is wrong in the world. Your hatred skews your opinion.

Mass Murder. Huh! Red cross says only 100 innocent civilians have died in 8 days of war. Saddam is averaging 579 people a day in times of peace.

You say that the reality of war is being shown. If only your cause was so noble. It’s lost in your political rhetoric. You’re on the same level as Al-Jazeera showing these horrific pictures and skewing the truth.

By the way, where are your pictures of the dead Kurds? Wait, that’s old news….

John Tennant

Iraq war

About - Photo-Essay 2: Tell Us Is This Liberation?

it’s a crying shame ! we break down in tears. May God help them.

Thanx for all what you do for innocent Iraqi people

Alex Paris – France

solemn thanks

thank you for the photos. While disturbing, I agree that it is important for those who support this war to see the "acceptable" losses of their war. I've passed it along. And while it will not be seen probably, I sent it to Dick Cheney out of anger.

Amy Tatem

war photos

I have been so disgusted with the american media coverage of this war. The wording that is used like "Iraqi troops picking on American Marines",it is completely appualing and arrogant in my opinion. Now I have been hearing people critisizing the media for being unpatriotic. The reality of this is unpatriotic. I have been wanting to see images of civilian deaths in Iraq, we've been hearing about them in the American media, but never see images. Theses images are so disturbing, but real. It is the reality of war, the reality of killing people you are claiming to want to free. Why is it I have seen many images of Iraqi gasing deaths, mothers holding children. But these war images are kept from us. I suppose I know the answer. Thank you for making them available.

Jennifer, Michigan

Iraqi War

I'm glad your news organization has the courage to show these photos. Everything in the U.S. is so censored, it's like watching 2 different wars. The Bush administration has even denied press access to Dover AFB where they bring our guys bodies home in the flag-draped coffins. The Bush Administration knows if people could really see what's happening, maybe they would lose some of the support they currently reap. I hear people in the U.S. say that you must expect military and civilian deaths in war. I understand this concept. I also believe if our country wasn't out there starting wars, we wouldn't have to worry about any deaths. We berate Saddam's regime for killing innocents, but what are we doing? I get angry when people speak so calmly about Iraqi innocents being killed. They speak as if it's no big deal and is to be expected in war. How can we justify killing Iraqi civ

Nancy

war

those pictures of the dead soliders and american soliders are horrid. To even think about it

Lil T

Feedback

While the images you display are difficult to view, I can understand (although not necessarily agree with) your logic for showing them. However, I have questions. 1) Do it consider it appropriate to show images of people without their permission (e.g. while they are prisoners of war?) Does this violate their right to privacy? 2) Why do you only choose to show images and comment of the uglyness of war that are attributed to coalition activies. If you are try to portray and accurate picture of the evils of war it should be a complete picture. This could include Iraqis who were hung on light-posts as a warning not to flee the cities or as retribution against soldiers who have abandoned their posts. I think you achieve your mission in proving war is ugly and the more people realize this the less likely they will support it. However, unless you expand the scope to include the ugl

AdamTunko

shocked

As a NZ Iraqi, it hurts me a lot to see my people being killed like this. Yes, I don't like Sadam and think he should go but not on the account of so many innocent lives. For me its not whether I am going to see my loved one's photos; its when.

Mustafa

your photos of the war on Iraq

Thank you very much, Doi

Doi

photo essay

how about including appropriate e-mail addresses so that all your subscribers may send the photos on in their hundreds to the pm and tv stations or whoever? keep up the good work!

graeme Johnson

Mary Cheney

I read with much interest the story regarding Mary Cheney as a human sheild in Iraq. This has not hit the American press at all. Is this a true story? I'd love to see this get more publicity!

Laura MacGregor - New York, USA

Iraq Coverage/Photos

Can't say enough ... I think Scoop does a great job to highlight views alternative to wire agencies and the daiy broadsheets. And I think you should be posting the photos you have, otherwise all we will see is the sanitised aftermath and not the graphic reality of war.

I originally checked out Scoop for NZ politics but it is now becoming one of my main sources of international news - up there with the Guardian & Independent. Keep up the great work.

Craig Lucinsky

Iraq

I don't see any pictures there of Saddam or his family? Are they camera shy?

Angela Corrigan

War pics

I want to offer my support to you for publishing these pictures...our mainstream media here in New Zealand is letting the people down by brandishing a sanitised and inaccurate depiction of the war. It is not the full story.

I worry that the sympathies of the average Kiwi will be affected by their over emotive, biased coverage in support of the coalition forces and the NZ Navy's covert role in supporting the coalition forces.

I spent two weeks in Jordan recently helping get human shields into Iraq and am currently picketing the US Consulate in Auckland on a daily basis with DAWA, a local anti war group. I think everyone needs to be as active as they can to show our dissent to this illegal, immoral war.

ps - please don't send me spam!

thanks Sharon

photo essay...USA bombs market

I see the photos...but what shows that this was an American bomb? All I have seen so far is the Iraqi government saying its an American bomb and the American government saying its looking into it. Please refer me to where I can see real proof other than just somebody making an claim. Iraq has done this sort of thing in the past to build support against its opponents. Thanks.

Dickinson

photos of war

I agree with your decision to publish these photos.

Darel Hall

Great hope

Thanks. So nice to see some integrity in NZ press. Shame there wasn't greater coverage on your site of the global resistance to war still continuing around the world. We are indeed in dire times when such an evil man can wield such power as Govenor Bush

Zach

Urgent message

Hello, I am from Quebec, Canada and I just love your online paper, but I am very concerned that you might be one of the next to be hacked and taken off line. Let me explain.

First think every morning I check the international papers. Well when I went to my first Malaysian site http://home.net.my/ and to my shock and dismay ONLY the top was in English, the news Items I normally read each day were in Malaysian. at first I thought it was a webmaster's fault, he/she had made a mistake uploading the page, thought "Oh well, will have to come back later", then I went on to read your news on the Star's site.

After this went to Pragda, Russian English site, and GUESS WHAT? it was all in Russian. THEN I realized what is going on, like http://www.english.aljazeera.net/ they have been hacked but what they are doing now is NOT taking them off line, but sending all viewers to their own language sites (an expert hacker could do this) and by doing this it could be a long time before they would even know that their English pages were not being viewed.

This will stop people here in N. America from reading what they have to say. AND I could not even e-mail them to tell them this as don't read Russian and could not find the e-mail addy. BUT I am spending as much time as possible getting this info out to everyone I can think of, every anti war site, every newspaper still on line, and every free speech site. We, (the world) can not let the US get away with this!!!!

My suggestion is for papers to hire some computer experts or get some volunteers that can help you all mirror your sites by private sites, computer experts will know what mirroring is.

I know you have many activist in New Zealand, and really respect your country for this, could you Please let them know that this MAYBE going on so they can help sites that get knocked off line, if the US gets away with this, there will be no more freedom of speech on line at all.

My sincere thanks for placing your wonderful, informative website online, and you have my prayers for its success.

Thank you for your time, Sincerely,

Anna May Kinney Quebec, Canada

truth & war

Cheers to your views espoused in your editorial regarding the "sanitization" of war images. Keep bringing the truth. It's desperately needed, especially by us Yanks!

Wayne Northcutt

images of war

I do support your decision to publish al-Jazeera's images.

Between arguments of what constitues biased vs truthful reporting, there lies an indisputable fact - these are the images that a Middle Eastern audience (35 million of them) is seeing.

Showing these pictures to a western audience begins to give us an understanding of a Middle Eastern perspective on the war. It allows us insight into why Iraqis who are opposed to Hussein do not see the US/UK act as 'liberation' and are responding with hostility instead of the 'dancing in the streets' we were led to believe would happen.

And if the west is to win the 'hearts and minds' of the Iraqi people, then I will be looking to sources like this as a barometer of Iraqi feelings before attempting to decipher the truth from western interpretations.

All respect scoop.

Matt Talbot

War Pictures

I admire your courage for printing the images of war that I as an American am not allowed to see. Apparantly your country has more respect for a "Free Press" than mine. You pictures tell a story that must be told. Keep it up. Joe

Joseph Clifford

A quick messge of support from a journalism student

Keep up the photoessays of what is being done in our name over in Iraq (I'm sure Bush included NZ in his "coalition of the willing" due to ECHELON.)

I for one don't believe in censorship, keep it up.

Simon Smith

feedback on war pix

Thank you for having the courage to show these pictures from Al Jazeera and for giving a voice to alternative views about the war. Whatever individuals' views may be, democracy is served by hearing all voices.

chris mitson

Dead American Soldiers

I heard about your site tonight, from someone I know who put a link to these pictures in his own site run by he and his daughter here in San Diego, California.

Talking to them about these pictures, there was almost a sense of satisfaction with this whole thing. It was like too bad, these baby killers got what they deserved. They don't see a distinction between our goals of first protecting our country from an unpredictable, unstable despot and second, freeing the Iraqi people from that piece of crap and his two misfit sons. I believe that to them, Bush is equal to if not worse, than Saddam and the retarded messes that sprang from his loins.

Where is the compassion for the Iraqi people? Some will die for sure, but it's not because we want to kill them. It will be because the no-honor Iraqi soldiers are hiding among them, putting them in danger. I don't buy the argument of Iraq being so small and what else can they do? The truth is, they have no honor and not a ounce of concern for their own civilian people. They're hoodlums with an outlet for their base instincts and just want to conserve their own corrupt lives for as long as they can. They should worry about the civilians turning on them, which I'm sure is going to happen.

As far as I can see, if you are against our action in this war, then you must not have a problem with the status quo in Iraq of torture, rape and everything else and are happy to let it continue without bothering your conscience. That's some concern for human rights, huh?

Rick Jenkins

shame on the murders

It is really sickening to see these images but thats the truth..Bush and Tony blair are the worlds greatest terrorists...they should carry these pictures of these iraqi chiidren in their wallets and see them everytime and hopefully will get their thick dead brains working again!!

Naz

Scoop Iraq War Photo Essays

Keep up the good work. If more people saw the results of bombs, artillery, guns, etc., maybe they would think twice before they approved of war. While the US/ UK Military-Industrial complex make money, whether they win or lose, it is the little people who suffer. 90% accuracy - it really means that one out of 10 bombs goes off target, IF everything works.

Richard

Real Freedom

I have read this website with pride and thank God I live in New Zealand. Where we really are free to think, speak and communicate our beliefs. That our Government (wheather we voted for them or not) allows us the basic previlage of the truth. We should be proud of our countries principles and the fact that we have more freedom that US citizens - regardless of how many people they kill in the name freedom.

Carol

Thank You

Thank you for showing us the truth. Showing us what CNN and BBCwill never have enough guts to show.

Avinash

Unprovoked war of aggression against Iraq

How many Iraqi planes have bombed New York or London? The only legitimate reason for war, which must be authorised by the UN Security Council, after every other channel has been tried and failed is SELF DEFENCE! Where is the evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and more importantly - that Iraq planned to use them against the USA, UK or Australia??? This is NOT going to be quick war. The Iraqi army has not surrendered, the Iraqi people are not welcoming the invading pro-corporate oil pirates as 'liberators', and there is not international support for this war. The U$A adminstration has got it WRONG on all fronts. Citizens of all countries whose governments t are participating in ANY way in the coalition of the killing - including our NZ Govt, should demand that our Heads of State face indictment as international war criminals for participating in war preparation. What have those little Iraqi kids done to deserve 'liberation' from life itself? While NZ frigates help to escort US warships, to deliver the munitions that are causing this death and destruction - then Helen Clark is a war criminal. Labour Government 'weasel words' make me sick. Back up the 'peace and diplomacy' rhetoric with action! No logistal support IN ANY FORM for this unprovoked war of aggression against IRAQ! If our Governments will not take action to uphold UN International Human Rights law - then we the people will have to take action ourselves. We have to put all possible pressure on our Governments to withdraw support for this crime against peace - this crime against humanity!

No people's blood for corporate oil!

Penny Bright

Iraqi Freedom Cards

The cards you've been waiting for! http://freedomcards.net.vg

Martin

pictures of us solilders

Why don't you show along with the photos of the killed american pows in Iraq, the photos of the women and children in Iraq that Saddam killed. Also show pictures of the lady that they hung after she waved at the soilders. If you are going to show all, show all then. I think that all should see the whole picture

Space

allied bombings on iraq

It is clear that the truth about the allied bombing campaign on bagdad,is not being told to the outside world community.the pictures that i have seen on your website are just horific the so called superpowers,of the 21st century are out of control they are killing themselfs and the innocent people,with weapons,of mass distruction that they have very little control of.

carl powell

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