International Conflict and the Media

ACTIVITY 19: The Baby Milk Factory

Introduction

In general the Iraqis demonstrated complete ineptness in dealing with Western journalists. AfterSaddam Hussein had prevented Western hostages from leaving Iraq and Kuwait, he sat himself infront of a camera and patted terrified little boys on the back in order to show the world that hewasn't maltreating women and children. After he told the hostages that he was going to placethem at military targets to ward off potential Coalition bombing, he claimed that the hostageswould be "heros of peace." But not all of Iraq's propaganda efforts failed. This activity is anexample of one that succeeded.

Most Coalition bombs hit military targets. The example in this activity may not have been properlytargeted. It is used as an example of how the press dealt with a potentially controversial issueduring war. Whether or not the Baby Milk Factory was or was not also a factory for producingchemical weapons, its destruction was effectively used by Iraqi propagandists.

Student Objectives

• To examine how propaganda was developed and reported as news.
• To evaluate one example of propaganda and examine its success in achieving its purpose.
• To ask whether or not it is proper for the government to engage in or abet in themanufacturing of propaganda during wartime.
• To analyze and evaluate different perspectives on an issue.

Time

1-2 class periods

Materials

Copies of Readings 19A-H, one Reading for each student

Recommended Procedures

1. Distribute Readings 19A-E, one Reading to each student. After the students have read it, askthem:

What did their reading describe?

Why might the Iraqis have released this statement to the public?

2. If the students ask about Peter Arnett: he is a CNN reporter who remained in Baghdad duringthe Gulf War and was permitted by Iraqi authorities to visit the site of the factory a few daysafter the bombing. Peter Arnett's role in remaining behind in Baghdad will be discussed morefully in Activity 23.
3. Probe further. Ask the students what they think about the incident.

What are the indicators that the incident as described by Arnett was being used by Iraqipropagandists? (One indicator is that a "crude sign" was written in English, something unusualfor Iraq.)

Why would the schematic for the plan have been laying around on the ground?

Why did Iraq want to publicize the fact that the Allies bombed "civilian targets?"

Saddam Hussein killed thousands of his own people while trying to gain and maintainpower in Iraq. Why would he care if the Coalition bombed Iraqi civilian targets?

If bombing the factory had been a mistake, why wouldn't the Allies have admitted it?

4. Distribute Readings 19F-H. Ask the students to read them.

What do they think about the bombing of the factory?

Was in a chemical or biological weapons factory as well?

Was it just an Iraqi propaganda stunt?

Return to the Contents page for International Conflict and the Media.

Go to Activity 20.

Go to the Bibliography.