U.S. and Iraq`s Psychological Warfare with Prisoners of War on TV

As Iraq’s state-run television network broadcast two American pilots of a U.S. helicopter shot down by Iraqi solders for a long time, controversy over human rights of prisoners of war is heating up. Earlier, the television network had interviewed an American prison of war and showed images of the bodies of U.S. soldiers. Considering prisoners of war will increase, as encounters between the U.S.-British coalition’s ground forces and Iraqi soldiers starts in earnest, the controversy is likely to continue for some time.

▽War of words between the U.S. and Iraq = "American prisoners of war should be treated according to the Geneva convention on prisoners of war. If someone violates the rules, he will be punished as an international war criminal," said White House spokesman Ari Flesher.

However, Iraqi Information Minister Mohamed Saeed retorted, "It was America and Britain that first broadcast Iraqi soldiers who laid down their arms in violation of the Geneva Convention. We will keep broadcasting American prisoners of war." Then the state-run TV broadcast two American Apache helicopter pilots drinking tea for five minutes, and showed their credit cards and driver’s license issued by the state of Texas.

"U.S. prisoners of war will be treated following Muslim doctrine, not the Geneva Convention. We created laws when Blair and Bush’s ancestors led a animal-like life in caves," Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said.

▽Controversy on violation of international law = On March 24, the International Federation of Journalists issued a statement in which the group urged for adhering to the Geneva Convention, saying that journalists should not give up ethics in competition for scoops.

A France viewers` committee requested Al Jazeera`s branch in Paris to follow international rules. And American broadcasting companies except the CBS decided not to show interviews with prisoners of war.

However, Robert Hurst, president of CTV News in Canada, contradicts that if Iraqi prisoners of war are captured on TV, American prisoners of war should also be broadcast.

There was a debate surrounding this issue in the U.S. State Department`s briefing on March 24. U.S. State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said that scenes showing American prisoners of war should not be used in violation of the Geneva Convention. A reporter retorted, "It is a double standard." However, the spokesman contended that inducing curiosity by putting an American prisoner of war in front of Cameras is different from broadcasting surrendering Iraqi soldiers. Some journalists questioned whether the scene of an Iraqi soldier frisked was a mistake.

Jong-Hoon Lee taylor55@donga.com