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(FoGIS = [a German] research group for the information society and security politics.) Dear List, On Monday (Feb 24) HBO'S propaganda film based on the phoney 'incubator story' was shown in Germany by ZDF. On their website, ZDF had a gushing review mostly, it seems, a rehash from the Washington Post. Not one word that this so-called docu-drama was based on H&K's inventions. (It's probably been shown in other countries too.) But earlier that day, FoGIS issued a press statement to warn viewers that they are being shown a lie. They also asked, in the manner of FAIR, that viewers write or email to ZDF to protest against this falsification of history. Not sure if did any good. Still, it shows that the story is well known everywhere. Here are some (translated) excerpts from FoGIS' press statement: ---QUOTE:--- "Today at 22:15 ZDF will show the feature film 'Live aus Bagdad', depicting the work of CCN reporters in Iraq during 1990-91. The film is based on a fictional account by Robert Wiener, former head of the CCN team. "We think it is important to point out that this film presents as real event a propaganda lie, known for eleven years as the 'incubator story'. It is an established fact that this story was invented and produced by the public relations firm Hill & Knowlton (H&K) prior to the Gulf War of 1991. At that time, H&K and members of the US Congress spread the horror story that looting Iraqi soldiers had stolen incubators in Kuwait and left about 300 newborn babies on the floor to die. This propaganda lie was meant to convince undecided politicians and especially the public in the US and in countries of the 'anti-Hussein-coalition' that military action was called for. "In a CNN interview, Robert Wiener, co-author of 'Live from Baghdad' admitted that he had worked on the film script against his better judgment: The [incubator] story turned out to be a lie.... 'Live from Baghdad' is a feature film, not a documentary, but it creates the impression that the events portrayed in the film had actually happened. "It is incomprehensible that ZDF would now, as a new Gulf war is looming, commit its broadcast time to the airing of this production, which is highly controversial in the US, for obvious reasons. Furthermore, people here and in other countries are overwhelmingly opposed to a new Gulf war. So it can hardly be in the public interest to present as fact, once again, the fictional horror story that helped to legitimize the war in 1991. Nor can this fiction serve any useful purpose when reconciling serious debate with war propaganda, and the dubious role played by the media." ---END QUOTE--- FoGIS gives the background of the H&K story, and reminds people of John MacArthur's article in the New York Times "Remember Nayirah, Witness for Kuwait?" (Jan 6/92). German viewers didn't even get to see HBO's half-hearted, half-true, and belated disclaimer in the credits. regards, Elga S. P.S. In his book, _Second Front_: Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War_, John MacArthur (publisher of Harper's) has given a whole chapter to the incubator lie: "Selling Babies". (Hill and Wang, New York, 1992. Or: University of California Press, 1993.) _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk