If the Iraqi information minister was an actor, they'd fire him for hamming it up as the evil despot lackey of this particular debacle.
This morning, he was giving a live interview with Al Jazeera declaring, as always, that the US is being defeated handily. (The Scotsman - International - Information minister delivers the rhetoric) Unfortunately, at the same time CNN was airing live video of US tanks making incursions into Baghdad.
Regardless of how you feel about the war, you have to admit this guys bluffing is getting pretty funny. One day he's saying that the US hasn't pushed into Iraq significantly, and the next day he's saying, well, they took Baghdad airport, but we pushed them back.
Someone said it's hard to keep giving these briefings when at this point, he has to worry about them getting disrupted by coalition troops. Me, I'm dying to see what I would consider the seminal TV moment off all time -- the Iraqi information minister declaring victory, right as US troops run in and tackle him. Think of it as the international version of COPS.
P.S. they are now showing video of Baghdad center where you can hear the sound of gunfire in the distance. It's too bad that wasn't happening when Al Jazeera was doing the live, outdoor interview.
P.P.S. CNN just said that he read a statement saying that US troops are "on Baghdad." I guess it was getting hard to stay credible.
Keep up with the latest from the man in Iraq.
The war, in some ways, is like reality TV in reverse... (continued)
...at some point, reality is going to collide with the worlds being created on television by both sides of the conflict, and everything is going to have to become self-consistent.
This has already happened to the American side, to some degree. Embedded reporters have brought back video of injured or dead Americans, and civilians as well. But they've also been there as Iraqis used human shields, lost battles and gave ground. At times, the correction to reality has been embarrassing to the coalition leadership. But because reporters are travelling with our troops, the correction has never been too large, and it's hard to accuse anyone of a cover-up.
The Iraqi side, however, has depended upon a controlled portrayal of reality -- one that will only hold up so long. It's a calculated gamble, I would guess. If they can convince the world that they're winning, the coalition might lose its nerve. If they lose, and are shown as liars, what will it matter? Everything will be lost anyway.
This peculiar form of game theory will be coming to a head in the next few days as the wiggle room for Iraqi lying closes into a smaller and smaller area of Baghdad. I'm going to love to see their information minister made the fool on international television, but I'm not sure he had any choice in how he's played this.
Without wishing to detract from the seriousness of the war in Iraq and keeping in mind the brave efforts of the coalition forces and their sad losses as well as the lives of the innocent civilian population, with all the news coverage from embedded reporters, the constant bombardment of views, reports, graphics, opinions and analysis
pouring forth from the TV and web...there is still one thing guaranteed to bring a smile to my face. That is the "Mohammad Said Al-Sahaf Show"
If this guy didn't represent a despotic regime he would surely be in line for the stand up comedian of the year award. I just can't wait to hear what he will come up with next. Hey isn't that an Iraqi flag in the sea of tranquility?
I am really gonna miss watching this guy every morning before work. It was such a laugh to see him say the things he said with such a straight face. Did he really believe the Iraqi people would think he was telling the truth?
Mohammad Saeed Al-Sahaf is a very funny actor and a big fat liar!!
I will miss his daily dose of laughter - saying the Americans are not in Baghdad as a U.S.tank passes by him in the background
It's time for Saturday Night Lies!
Post-war article on the Iraqi Information Minister
http://www.spectator.co.uk/article.php3?table=old§ion=current&issue=2003-04-12&id=2987
The same team that built the www.theiraqiinformationminister.com has built
http://www.parodytimes.com a satirical online newspaper features news and events
Don't miss the articles and pitures of the iraqi minister of information, George W Bush, Tony Blair...
http://www.parodytimes.com