It's a shoop.

September 17, 2010 2:12 PM

An Associated Press photo of last Wednesday's Middle East peace talks in Washington D. C. was enhanced for publication in Al-Ahram, Egypt's state-run and largest newspaper. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak was electronically moved to a more central position.
posted by Obscure Reference (34 comments total)

Egypt's press are just in de-nile about their leader's status in world politics . . .
posted by protorp at 2:17 PM on September 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

shoop da woop?

(seriously though - the alteration of things like placement in the picture should result in the editor that approved it being fired and blackballed.)
posted by squorch at 2:21 PM on September 17, 2010

Hosni Mubarak was not born in America and is a Muslim. Mu-BARAK. Coincidence?!

WAKE UP SHEEPLE!
posted by chavenet at 2:22 PM on September 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

Why does anyone think this shit won't be noticed and ridiculed?
posted by odinsdream at 2:23 PM on September 17, 2010

I suspect a Mossad plant did it, knowing full well it would be caught and make the Egyptian press look bad.
posted by Postroad at 2:28 PM on September 17, 2010

Reminds me of the earlier incident Adnan Hajj shooping photos of Beirut for Reuters. Wiki.
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:28 PM on September 17, 2010

Are we sure the original image wasn't photoshopped by the American government?
posted by doublehappy at 2:32 PM on September 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

It has been noticed and ridiculed - for slightly more context and a hint of cogent opinion:

Guardian
BBC

"People have picked up on the photo because it's such a good insight into the way the government operates in Egypt; whenever there are problems or failings they simply try and gloss over them – you can see that in this photo, and you can see it in the way they run the country."

I don't want to bring myself to think with serious hat on about this story, as it would just lead to rant and rage at the collusion of Egypt's western allies in pragmatic perpetuation of this odious regime.
posted by protorp at 2:36 PM on September 17, 2010

WAKE UP SHEEPLE

I woke up Sheeple. He was more bothered by the fact that were gonna be seeing this guy's face crudely photoshopped into historical situations and family photos for the next few weeks.
posted by doublehappy at 2:38 PM on September 17, 2010 [4 favorites]

Why does anyone think this shit won't be noticed and ridiculed?

Because most of those paper's readers don't have access to the Internet. Or other opinions for that matter, "which is what happens in a country where they have a state-run newspaper and the President is President since 1981."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:39 PM on September 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Now make one where he's giving Obama noogies!
posted by longsleeves at 2:40 PM on September 17, 2010

Why does anyone think this shit won't be noticed and ridiculed?

Egypt is a totalitarian dictatorship, with a terrible human rights record, a history of anti-democratic practices, and a political big brother that provides them with the means to continue oppressing their population. They have recently extended the permanent state of emergency that allows them to outlaw political parties, jail people (mostly journalists and dissidents) without trials, and beat protestors at their whim.

As Orwell said, "He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future." Reality is irrelevant.
posted by notion at 2:41 PM on September 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Where is Bert in this photo?
posted by warbaby at 2:45 PM on September 17, 2010

Why does anyone think this shit won't be noticed and ridiculed?

Robert Baer, via the New Statesman:

The former CIA agent Bob Baer, who worked covertly for the US across the Middle East until the mid-1990s, describes how each Middle Eastern country has a purpose in the archipelago. He says: "If you want a serious interrogation, you send a prisoner to Jordan. If you want them to be tortured, you send them to Syria. If you want someone to disappear - never to see them again - you send them to Egypt."

posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:47 PM on September 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

Did Baer have any ex wives and if so, where did he send them?
posted by Postroad at 2:51 PM on September 17, 2010

MetaFilter: Why does anyone think this shit won't be noticed and ridiculed?
posted by Joe Beese at 3:01 PM on September 17, 2010 [4 favorites]

Should be marked as via PhotoshopDisasters. But still politisterycal!
posted by zoogleplex at 3:08 PM on September 17, 2010

Egypt is a totalitarian dictatorship, with a terrible human rights record, a history of anti-democratic practices, and a political big brother that provides them with the means to continue oppressing their population. They have recently extended the permanent state of emergency that allows them to outlaw political parties, jail people (mostly journalists and dissidents) without trials, and beat protestors at their whim.

and recipient of almost $50 billion in military and economic assistance from the U.S. since 1973.
posted by ennui.bz at 3:23 PM on September 17, 2010

Wow. Before I looked at the picture, I thought that Mubarak saw a photoshopped picture in his local paper and was moved to take a politically more central position on whatever issue was depicted in the picture (which I had not yet seen).

Then I saw the picture, and I realized that I could use this post to explain the difference between "literal" and "figurative".
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:23 PM on September 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Why does anyone think this shit won't be noticed and ridiculed?

Because most of those paper's readers don't have access to the Internet. Or other opinions for that matter, "which is what happens in a country where they have a state-run newspaper and the President is President since 1981."

Sure but what about THE REST OF THE WORLD who sees it? Do they not care about any international reputation?
posted by Liquidwolf at 3:23 PM on September 17, 2010

We also have, in America, a terrible human rights record, a history of anti-democratic practices, and a political big brother that provides the government with the means to continue oppressing their population. The President has recently extended the permanent state of emergency that allows an array of authorities to jail people (mostly foreigners and dissidents) without trials, and our police beat protestors on a whim.

The 'shop is embarrassing for the Egyptians, but we should take this message home and remain vigilant of our own media. Hell, at least they aren't concocting fake documents and planting them as a prelude to war.
posted by Sukiari at 3:27 PM on September 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Whoa, check out the official Egyptian press MeFi screenshot! This is getting out of hand.
posted by circular at 3:33 PM on September 17, 2010

From The Gardian:

Al-Ahram has so far failed to issue any response or apology for its actions, although the offending photo has been removed from the paper's website.

But, in fact the picture has not been removed from the website. It is picture number 2 of a set of 5 which you can click through.
posted by Obscure Reference at 3:39 PM on September 17, 2010

Sure but what about THE REST OF THE WORLD who sees it? Do they not care about any international reputation?

No. No, they don't. Or rather, when the only measure of success is "staying in power in your home country," then the calculus of "the Arab street" is very different.

For example, how many thumbs does Mubarak have to break in France in order to remain in power in Egypt?

Answer = very few, if any.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:41 PM on September 17, 2010

(Although I photoshopped out a 'u' from guardian.)
posted by Obscure Reference at 3:42 PM on September 17, 2010

Chuckle. Notice the Photoshopper inverted the guy left for right (angle of tie and white shirt cuff swap sides) to get the appearance of lighting correct. Did he make the guy bigger as well, to fit the perspective?
posted by hank at 3:53 PM on September 17, 2010

As an aside, any Canadians recognize how often Prime Minister Harper always jostling to get at the front of the world leaders at these G8 group shots (1, 2), kinda silly, and I remember our last PM Paul Martin used to do the same thing as well.
posted by bobo123 at 4:08 PM on September 17, 2010

I wonder what criticism of Mubarak would look like in Egypt?

I mean, do his opponents accuse him of being born in Canada and secretly being a Christian or something?
posted by Avenger at 4:38 PM on September 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Yeah I know. I have Yahoo.
posted by punkfloyd at 5:16 PM on September 17, 2010

So wait, walking in the front of a group makes you more awesome?

*writes some notes*

I just can't keep up with all this power trip stuff.
posted by freecellwizard at 5:58 PM on September 17, 2010

Given the history of Egyptian leaders' departures from office, I'd think Mubarak would rather not take the point in any given formation of world leaders.

Anyway, the American press lies to us with pictures all the time too -- ask Fox News how many people attended the latest TeaPartyDownWithFreedom rally. They'll adjust their photos to prove it was 36 million enraged folks instead of 176 on the national mall. Don't see any reason why we should feel superior to Egypt on this score.
posted by fourcheesemac at 4:46 AM on September 18, 2010

I'm surprised they didn't give him a large bulge in his pants while they were at it.
posted by zzazazz at 8:33 AM on September 18, 2010

We see things like this done ineptly, and we laugh at them, but they're probably just the tip of the iceberg. The dangerous lies are the ones we don't recognise.
posted by Joe in Australia at 8:06 PM on September 18, 2010

Decent shoopery, but Mubarak is no Leo.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 7:41 AM on September 20, 2010