From: "Omar Guessous" <o_guessous-AT-yahoo.com> Subject: Some thoughts on a CNN news item ... Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:16:04 -0500 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. I had to fwd this to all of you, because I believe that a read between the not-so-obscure lines provides a good insight into much of the reasoning that's going into this 'extended war on terror' - and its marketing for mass support. Some of what I mean, for example: - Notice how the Somalis' 'disregard' for American life (I'd conjecture that more accurately, it's for insurgent military, imperialist American life) is juxtaposed with their disregard for the international 'fair' rules of capitalism, as they front 10 cents (!) to watch a newly released, bootleg movie in obvious public sight: damn them for the double-insult to American supremacy, huh? - Lack of context to the Somalis' cheering, statements to the journalist, etc. it then becomes easy to generalize their cheering to *any* loss of American life, thus helping to secure support on the home front for any American 'intervention' there - which is soon to come, if not already occurring away from the sight of cameras and microphones. - Of course, what is considered a 'chef-d'oeuvre' here in box office terms, is stripped of all value and appreciation over there, where those barbaric people who lack morals live. Of course, this rhetoric is stated in clear-cut words by the writer and editors, for that would contradict the image of America the holy, but believe me: the putrid stench remains, as long as one is willing (or conscious enough) to detect it. And then they have the galls to demand of us that we be 'moderate'? Somalis cheer at 'Black Hawk Down' screening January 22, 2002 Posted: 2:24 PM EST (1924 GMT) >From Jeff Koinange CNN MOGADISHU, Somalia (CNN) -- Somalis watching a bootleg video of "Black Hawk Down" on Monday cheered as helicopters crashed and U.S. servicemen were killed in the new movie. Just days after the film's widespread release in the United States, hundreds of Somalis crowded into an outdoor playground Monday to watch one of the first bootleg copies to reach Somalia. The film, which was No. 1 at the U.S. box office over the weekend, depicts the ill-fated 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in which 18 American soldiers were killed. The United States was in Somalia to try to capture powerful Somali warlord Mohammed Aidid from his stronghold in the war-torn capital and take him to a ship anchored off the nearby coast. But by the end of the 16-hour battle in which commandos tried to seize several of Aidid's top lieutenants, 18 elite Army Rangers and hundreds of Somalis lay dead in the streets of Mogadishu. At the screening, Somalis paid the equivalent of 10 U.S. cents to watch the movie, less than a mile from where a real Black Hawk helicopter went down. Audience members seemed to take delight in scenes of U.S. defeat. Each time an American chopper went down in the film, the audience cheered. Every time an American serviceman was killed, the audience cheered some more. Ahmed Abdullah said he witnessed the actual battle and saw the movie as more fiction than fact. "It's not fair what the U.S. is trying to do," he said. "What I saw that day was different from what I see in the film today. It's not accurate." Others said the movie brings back disturbing memories of a day they'll never forget. "I felt very sad watching the film," one woman said. Some in the audience said they were proud of the way Somalis were portrayed in the film. They said they believe they were defending their country and their pride against what they considered U.S. military aggression. U.S. officials have said they are concerned that members of al Qaeda, the terrorist network led by Osama bin Laden, could try to regroup in Somalia so the country may be a possible next target in the war on terrorism. But some audience members had a warning for the United States. "As you can see, Somalis are brave fighters," one man said. "If the Americans come back to fight us, we shall defeat them again." Said another, "Let them try again. They'll be making more films about us when we defeat them like we did that day."

I had to fwd this to all of you, because I believe that a read between the not-so-obscure lines provides a good insight into much of the reasoning that’s going into this ‘extended war on terror’ - and its marketing for mass support. Some of what I mean, for example:

- Notice how the Somalis’ ‘disregard’ for American life (I’d conjecture that more accurately, it’s for insurgent military, imperialist American life) is juxtaposed with their disregard for the international ‘fair’ rules of capitalism, as they front 10 cents (!) to watch a newly released, bootleg movie in obvious public sight: damn them for the double-insult to American supremacy, huh?

- Lack of context to the Somalis’ cheering, statements to the journalist, etc. it then becomes easy to generalize their cheering to any loss of American life, thus helping to secure support on the home front for any American ‘intervention’ there – which is soon to come, if not already occurring away from the sight of cameras and microphones.

- Of course, what is considered a ‘chef-d’oeuvre’ here in box office terms, is stripped of all value and appreciation over there, where those barbaric people who lack morals live.

Of course, this rhetoric is stated in clear-cut words by the writer and editors, for that would contradict the image of America the holy, but believe me: the putrid stench remains, as long as one is willing (or conscious enough) to detect it.

And then they have the galls to demand of us that we be ‘moderate’?

Somalis cheer at 'Black Hawk Down' screening

January 22, 2002 Posted: 2:24 PM EST (1924 GMT)

From Jeff Koinange
CNN

MOGADISHU, Somalia (CNN) -- Somalis watching a bootleg video of "Black Hawk Down" on Monday cheered as helicopters crashed and U.S. servicemen were killed in the new movie.

Just days after the film's widespread release in the United States, hundreds of Somalis crowded into an outdoor playground Monday to watch one of the first bootleg copies to reach Somalia.

The film, which was No. 1 at the U.S. box office over the weekend, depicts the ill-fated 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in which 18 American soldiers were killed.

The United States was in Somalia to try to capture powerful Somali warlord Mohammed Aidid from his stronghold in the war-torn capital and take him to a ship anchored off the nearby coast. But by the end of the 16-hour battle in which commandos tried to seize several of Aidid's top lieutenants, 18 elite Army Rangers and hundreds of Somalis lay dead in the streets of Mogadishu.

At the screening, Somalis paid the equivalent of 10 U.S. cents to watch the movie, less than a mile from where a real Black Hawk helicopter went down.

Audience members seemed to take delight in scenes of U.S. defeat. Each time an American chopper went down in the film, the audience cheered. Every time an American serviceman was killed, the audience cheered some more.

Ahmed Abdullah said he witnessed the actual battle and saw the movie as more fiction than fact.

"It's not fair what the U.S. is trying to do," he said. "What I saw that day was different from what I see in the film today. It's not accurate."

Others said the movie brings back disturbing memories of a day they'll never forget.

"I felt very sad watching the film," one woman said.

Some in the audience said they were proud of the way Somalis were portrayed in the film. They said they believe they were defending their country and their pride against what they considered U.S. military aggression.

U.S. officials have said they are concerned that members of al Qaeda, the terrorist network led by Osama bin Laden, could try to regroup in Somalia so the country may be a possible next target in the war on terrorism.

But some audience members had a warning for the United States.

"As you can see, Somalis are brave fighters," one man said. "If the Americans come back to fight us, we shall defeat them again."

Said another, "Let them try again. They'll be making more films about us when we defeat them like we did that day."

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File spoon-archives/postcolonial.archive/postcolonial_2002/postcolonial.0201, message 81

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I had to fwd this to all of you, because I believe that a read between the not-so-obscure lines provides a good insight into much of the reasoning that’s going into this ‘extended war on terror’ - and its marketing for mass support. Some of what I mean, for example:

- Of course, what is considered a ‘chef-d’oeuvre’ here in box office terms, is stripped of all value and appreciation over there, where those barbaric people who lack morals live.

Of course, this rhetoric is stated in clear-cut words by the writer and editors, for that would contradict the image of America the holy, but believe me: the putrid stench remains, as long as one is willing (or conscious enough) to detect it.

And then they have the galls to demand of us that we be ‘moderate’?

Somalis cheer at 'Black Hawk Down' screening

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