Scott Ott has an explanation for the Iraqi (dis)Information minister's bizarre proclamations.

I have been wondering if this is "just silly" or if this is the result of a culture used to bartering. You open the bid on a pound of figs with: "those are terrible looking figs but I need some, 2 cents" ... The merchant counters with: "each one of these figs won an award at the delicious contest last week, $200".

Now you know you're going to pay more than 2 cents and he knows that he is not going to get $200, but it is a game of sorts.

So when are media opens with "we're half way to Basra and no injuries". They say counter with "No Americans in Iraq" not because they believe it, but because they expect the media to come a little more closer to the truth on the next round, "well we're only 1/4 of the way to Basra and we lost 2 tanks....". heh heh that's more like it ... "OK. We'll give you 1/8 of the way to Basra but you lost 4 tanks and 2 helicopters..." and so it goes until "a truth" is reached that both parties can agree on...

However, I am not an expert on Iraq, nor do I play one on tv ....

Adriane

I dunno...

It struck me as funny this afternoon when I was watching the War on TV (I don't remember which network, I was switching back and forth between Fox and MSNBC) and they showed video of Tanks in the courtyard of a palace, some marines eating lunch in a very nice garden, and some interior shots of said palace. Then they cut to the "information minister" who said the coalition forces were nowhere around.

I would be interested in knowing where this "information" minister is broadcasting from. Wouldn't that be a lovely clip?

Information Minister: The coalition forces are on the run and nowhere to be found in this area.

Sniper: Bang!

Of course, who could say if it was truely a US sniper or a disgruntled Iraqi? ;)

It can't be LSD. I've done LSD. Yes, LSD can produce some very interesting hallucinations -- but if you're sane, you recognize them as hallucinations.

My vote is for schizophrenia -- with a touch (at least) of paranoia.

Tyranny does tend to promote the insane into positions of power. Who else can lie so successfully to The Leader as someone who is insane?

Well given Saddam's propensity to kill messengers when they bring him bad news, I think it is reasonable to say that the Iraqi Info minister could just be saying whatever Saddam wants to hear, or wants the public to hear, in order to stay alive.

I was talking about this last night. I have this image of "Elmo" maintaining the Great Satan isn't in Iraq and having troops burst in on a live broadcast and saying "Oh, really?!"