The Cruelest Cut
By streiff Posted in War — Comments (17) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
We posted a group photo below while editorializing on the sordid behavior of the British government in the recent hostage crisis with Iran.
The image in the photo is stark. Twelve of the fifteen are pulling a full-dhimmi, laughing it up, three are somber, two with hands clasped in front and one in a modified position of parade rest.
If you haven’t seen that image before it could be because Agence France Press committed an editorial fraud upon everyone who subscribes to its service.
Read on.

Our first inclination was when longtime poster BooBooKitty mentioned he had seen a cropped version of the photo. He located it a al-Jazeera.

Surprise freakin surprise. Right? Al-Jazeera cropping out the three offenders and showing only smiley, happy, non-threatening faces.
I noticed the press credit, Agence France-Press, and decided to find the original photo for comparison.
After a search, it was located.

Lo and behold, al-Jazeera did not crop the image, it ran a different image taken at about the same time, undoubtedly by the same photographer. The AFP photographer cut the three sullen Brits out of both photo. Deliberate? Who knows. One could make a case, I suppose, for saying if you were photographing a family picnic you’d want a tight composition with happy faces and cut the three idiot cousins out. It is hard to believe that a photojournalist, being aware of the context of the photo, just shot the photo with the three Marines out of the frame. And did it twice.
« We need more COIN in the Afghan realm — Comments (0) | The Sun Finally Sets — Comments (70) »
The Cruelest Cut 17 Comments (0 topical, 17 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
by the photo.
Actually, on closer examination, there might be a bit more credit in the sailors'/marines' favor than your 12/3 count.
At least 3 of the men in back, in both shots, seem by posture (arms down) and in one case--the tall fellow in center--facial expression, to be distancing themselves from the hoopla, even though stuck behind the happy wavers. I'd give them the botd.
And for the life of me, I can only see 12, not 15, in these shots. Where were the other 3? Maybe they were being uncooperative as well.
soli Deo gloria
soli Deo gloria
I see 13:
6 dhimmis
3 not amused
4 obscured, but not apparently waving
and 2 off camera
what if those refusing to play this game had decided to wave with their left hands instead?
people and what might be a boot on the far right of the photo. I also see only 8 people who appear to be smiling only or smiling and waving. I see 3 somber together and 1 somber a little to their right. There are parts of bodies of 3, and I don't see the hands and or faces of those 3.
You’re a persistent cuss, pilgrim.
John Wayne to Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
6 smiling and waving
2 cheeks appear to reveal a smile but not positive
4 somber faces
1 in the back on left can't see any of his face.
You’re a persistent cuss, pilgrim.
John Wayne to Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
I think earlier reports said that only 12 of the captured could be verified from the photographs released by Iran. If so, then these are probably the missing 3 that were never seen in the Iranian propaganda photos. Didn't play the game, didn't appear in the pictures. Maybe these three only gave their name, rank, and number.
Personally, I like to think that these three still have a spine, stiff upper lip, and all that.
...that shows a bald Iranian(?) trying to position all 15 for the the shot - sort of like a Sears photo package, but with the threat of death.
It's about halfway down the article, here:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007150662,00.html
--
"We want great men who, when fortune frowns, will not be discouraged." - Colonel Henry Knox
I see 1 bald Iranian guy and 14 Brits.
You’re a persistent cuss, pilgrim.
John Wayne to Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
There are two guys standing next to the Iranian Sears intern - one in a dark suit, one in a light suit who is almost totally obscured behind him.
There's also a guy who is almost entirely cut out of the left side of the frame.
Now if I could only find the guy in the glasses, blue pants, red-and-white horizontally striped shirt, and red-and-white knit cap.
--
"We want great men who, when fortune frowns, will not be discouraged." - Colonel Henry Knox
...it appears as if the Iranians have dressed up the female sailor to look eerily similar to Waldo.
Wasn't it humiliating enough that she had to write three letters of confession/contrition/conversion?
--
"We want great men who, when fortune frowns, will not be discouraged." - Colonel Henry Knox
the first time I thought the Brit next to the bald guy was getting a sun reflection on his suit. Looking at it again there is a guy behind him with a lighter suit.
You’re a persistent cuss, pilgrim.
John Wayne to Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
They put her in horizontal stripes, which my wife always tells me make you look fat.
and she was no prize to begin with.
In Vino Veritas
would have been proud of those three.
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
and is calling for the Brit officers to be court marshaled. "Yes, they are young officers. No, there is no excuse. They betrayed their country."
____
Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

reminding those out there that, at least from their perspective, this entire photo/video picnic affair of the last several days doesn't set well at all with them. And don't forget the dude on the far left behind the waving tall guy... his hands in his pockets, turned away from the camera. That's four who aren't allowing themselves to be used as propaganda tools.
Don't be afraid to see what you see... (the Gipper)