Iraq: The Hidden Story

Media critics assert that the images of Iraq beamed (or "cable-d") into American homes are sanitized -- that they don't reflect the horrors of the war or of the reality of the Green Zone, which sequesters American soldiers and leaders, Iraqi leaders, the world's journalists from the "real Iraq."

Whether you agree or disagree with this sentiment, I encourage you to watch this production from Britain's Channel 4, hosted on Google Video. Award-winning journalist Jon Snow takes us inside today's Iraq, compares his experience as a journalist today with his experience in 2003, shows us footage of carnage that does not make the news in the US - although it might in other parts of the world, and describes how reliant news organizations are on the native Iraqi journalist who can travel outside the Green Zone, although not without risk.

If you've ever wondered why so many Iraqi news stories -- Reuters, AP, BBC, CNN -- rely on official sources ... you'll get one answer here.

The first quarter of the video focuses on how media organizations, governments and cultures choose to show images of death. On one hand, I understand the desire to "protect" young minds from these gruesome images ... but on the other, I think it might be important to show how real carnage differs from the antiseptic violence of American TV, Hollywood and video-computer games. I see no reason to protect adults from having to see the real consequences of actions taken in the name of their countries or their clans.

Iraq: The Hidden Story:
Google video; Real stream; YouTube, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Also, see: Iraq War, Iraq Casualties, Bush on Iraq: Then and Now

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