Come join the zany crew at We Love the Iraqi Information Minister, a site dedicated to everyone’s favorite spinmeister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi Minister of Information (currently on administrative leave).
(The above is their current IP; their domain at this writing points to their old, overwhelmed site.)
The site is dedicated to some of his more intriguing quotes, such as:
“There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!”
“My feelings – as usual – we will slaughter them all.”
“I blame Al-Jazeera – they are marketing for the Americans!”
“God will roast their stomachs in hell at the hands of Iraqis.”
“No I am not scared and neither should you be!”
You can view how Sideshow Mohammed might have reported on some of history’s other greatest battles, you can vote on who should play him in the inevitable Hollywood film, and you can even buy a couple of t-shirts. Joy.
Now if only he’d show up again.
The best part is this particular summary why everyone loves Baghdad Bob:
In an age of spin, al-Sahaf offers feeling and authenticity. His message is consistent — unshakeable, in fact, no matter the evidence — but he commands daily attention by his on-the-spot, invective-rich variations on the theme. His lunatic counterfactual art is more appealing than the banal awfulness of the Reliable Sources. He is a Method actor in a production that will close in a couple of days. He stands superior to truth.
Amen.
(via Doyce)
This was brought up by a conversation with a work colleague. He made a very good point: this ought not be funny. His lies were believed by people and most likely caused unnecessary deaths amongst Iraqis and foreign nationals (and don’t forget the journalists who died at the Palestine Hotel because Baghdad Bob would not allow them anywhere else). Americans seem to let slide the foibles of people if they are entertaining. Case in point, Hollywood. I am sorry, but I cannot laugh when there is blood running through the streets.
Consider it gallows humor, combined with the intrinsic humor of the absurd (which BB’s statements have in abundance). I tend to find propaganda a fascinating subject in and of itself, and when spun to the point that BB did, one cannot but laugh (lest one cry).
BB’s humorous interludes notwithstanding, I’d have no problem seeing his sorry ass (assuming it’s still intact) tossed into some cell somewhere while war crimes charges are drawn up.
Hello everybody!!!
For cool pictures of the minister, t-shirts, underwear, mugs etc check http://www.theiraqiinformationminister.com
It’s cool site, check specially the pics in the latest news… well done guys!!!
That is so last week.
Baghdad Bob gave this sorry-assed, mundane planet exactly what it yearns the most for, an entertaining break from dreary reality! This is what we crave from the day we are born till the moment that we die, to be entertained. What makes a baby stop screaming? Some form of entertainment, and in a perverse way one can conclude that dying is the ultimate entertainment for most of us. I would say that even wars are fought for entertainment.
Of all the peoples in the world none are more obsessed with entertainment than Americans, (take a look at the entainment industry, legal and illegal, drugs, sex etc., over here) it is no wonder then that Americans loves Baghdad Bob. He deserves to be put in the Whitehouse for his performance!
Are Americans actually that much more obsessed with entertainment? Or do we simply have greater means and opportunity to be entertained?