A friend emails a link to a year-old propaganda video (Via Prete Funk Era at Jakeneck.) and asks if I know anything about it. Here’s the scoop.
As said, the video is nearly a year old. It was all the rage on the right-wing blogs early last year. It was part of an actual press release entitled Communiqué No. 7 distributed in March of 2005 by The Mujahideen Army General Headquarters. (Text translation and links to the video therein.)
At least that was the general perceptiion. It could also be a form of disinformation created by the US, or the Iraqi government, pro-Hussein groups etc. The topic of it seems to confirm it is fron the MA. But, it lacks the usual religious overtones familiar to such releases from the MA in the past. Although, it’s also very possible that the Communique was intentionally created without such overtones to be more applealing to an audience. It seems to have a pretty impressive shelf life.
The prevailing winds tell me that it is best to be suspicious of all propaganda coming from the war. The Pentagon has a vested interest in connecting anti-war sentiment at home with anti-occupation forces in Iraq. Their goals are similar- an end to the war. Which, of course, is not the goal of the Pentagon or hawks and neocons in the know. A long protracted war is the goal.
And, groups such as the MA have a vested interest in connecting with anti-war people all over the world. If you want to start a nationalist revolution, you have to begin at home and extend a hand to those who support you.
Such tactics are well established. The fact that the video is only now making the rounds within the Liberal community is interesting and somewhat revealing. Such releeases are of great discussion on the intel sites, and generally considered to be intended as “wedge” pieces. Keep your opposition, in this case, Americans, divided and thus weak. And, it works pretty well in that regard, if the reaction from the right-wing last year is any indication. (They used it as they use most information – to bash Liberals.) If you consider for a moment that the video is from a real Iraqi resistance, based in national prode and self rule, then it was also rather fascinating to see those right=wingers immediately jump to threatening that resistance with death and destruction which they do not have to risk delivering in any way. Always the sign of a true chickenhawk.
Dear Mujahadin Army,Thank you for your concern. Now look up. What you do not see or hear is a 2000 lb bomb falling on your position. That is our reply
This entire thing is just one big mess. And, propaganda videos such as this only make it worse.
In the end, all contents of the statements wihin the video should be taken as propaganda and dealt with on that level. Fact checking the statements would be a start.
