MetaFilter posts tagged with Iraq and video

a radical experiment in empathy

flex — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:52:59 -0800

Sam Richards: A Radical Experiment In Empathy (button underneath the video makes "interactive transcript" available, at link) "Now, you might ask, "Okay, Sam, so why do you do this sort of thing? Why would you use this example of all examples?" And I say, because ... because. You're allowed to hate these people. You're allowed to just hate them with every fiber of your being. And if I can get you to step into their shoes and walk an inch, one tiny inch, then imagine the kind of sociological analysis that you can do in all other aspects of your life. You can walk a mile when it comes to understanding why that person's driving 40 miles per hour in the passing lane, or your teenage son, or your neighbor who annoys you by cutting his lawn on Sunday mornings. Whatever it is, you can go so far. And this is what I tell my students: step outside of your tiny, little world. Step inside of the tiny, little world of somebody else. And then do it again and do it again and do it again. And suddenly all these tiny, little worlds, they come together in this complex web. And they build a big, complex world. And suddenly, without realizing it, you're seeing the world differently. Everything has changed. Everything in your life has changed. And that's, of course, what this is about."

Masanobu starts the day with a two hour training in the livingroom

seanmpuckett — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:11:56 -0800

A brief interview with the world's champion masturbator. (Not graphic, but NWS.) Metropolis TV is "a globally produced website and TV show initiated by Dutch public service broadcaster VPRO and Dutch NGO Hivos." This week's episode focuses on masturbation, with segments including: * Buying porn in Iraq * A masturbation tutor * Non-food uses for papaya More segments, and the full episode, at the Metropolis TV masturbation mini-site.

The Pleasure of Flinching

homunculus — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:08:34 -0800

The Pleasure of Flinching. "In the viral video realm, amateur Iraq war footage ranks just behind pornography, celebrities’ drunken exploits, and shark attacks. Do these videos represent what Sontag called our 'right to view,' or are they a porn medium made from leftovers of a world filming its self-destruction?" [Via]

Reuters: Bearing Witness

krautland — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:01:01 -0800

Through half a decade of war, a team of 100 Reuters correspondents, photographers, cameramen and support staff have strived to bring the world news from the most dangerous country for the press. This is their testimony - bearing witness to ensure the story of Iraq is not lost.

Bush's War

auralcoral — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:29:01 -0800

In honor of the 5-year anniversary of the Iraq War, PBS' Frontline presented a fantastic 2- part special on the issue this past Monday and Tuesday. It is now available in it's entirety online along with interview transcripts from senior officials, a video timeline of the war, and battlefield stories from soldiers. Bush's War

Basra Diary

Mwongozi — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 05:37:58 -0800

Basra Diary (Google Video)
"Last year, I completed my first tour of duty, in Basra, southern Iraq. I kept a video diary. This is the film I made, which details the experiences of both myself, and my colleagues, told in my own words."

Scenes from "The War Tapes"

McLir — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:56:00 -0800

TED presentation: "Filmmaker Deborah Scranton talks about and shows clips from her documentary The War Tapes, which put cameras in the hands of Charlie Company, a unit of the National Guard, for one year in Iraq. The soldiers' raw footage and diary excerpts tell a powerful, unsettling story of modern war.

Leave Him Alone.

brownpau — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:09:41 -0800

"He's a human. And all you Democrats want to do is knock him down." [via ]

Confusionism and the Peaceful Art of Ice Cream

mygothlaundry — Sat, 05 May 2007 14:54:58 -0800

I'm an Italian Confusionist and I want to bring peace to Iraq. Confused yet? Confusionism. Not confusionism. More confusionists who are fond of sports. And, the originator of it all. first link is LiveLeak, last link is MySpace; proceed, therefore, at your own risk.

Alive in Baghdad

ScottMorris — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 05:25:58 -0800

Alive in Baghdad is a video blog that began when filmmaker Brian Conley visited Iraq in 2005. He has provided several local reporters with video equipment and training to produce weekly posts of first hand accounts from ordinary Iraqis, like this tour of two houses after American raids, or this interview with a Sadr City doctor.

Falling out of the sky.

lupus_yonderboy — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:08:23 -0800

A somber video with music purporting to show the downing of a US helicopter surfaces on the New York Times and YouTube. Some background here.

the war you don't see

sergeant sandwich — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:52:35 -0800

Iraq: The Hidden Story is a very interesting 48 minute Channel 4 report on the news you see and the news you don't. Not for the squeamish. via

Allegations of rape-as-torture at Abu Ghraib surface on YouTube.

unSane — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:13:34 -0800

Last week a video was posted to YouTube and linked to by the Iraqslogger site. The YouTube account ("Deathlyillington") is now defunct but the video survives and purports to show a former guard from Abu Ghraib talking about torture techniques employed at the American-run prison. The man recounts the gang rape of a female teenage detainee, in which one guard "pimped" the girl to others for $50 each. As he recalls, "I think at the end of the day he'd made like 500 bucks before she hung herself." The US Army's Criminal Investigation Department has now launched an investigation, but the question remains, is the video real, or is it a hoax along the lines of Jesse Macbeth, the Daily Mirror fake torture photos or the fake beheading video. The video contains few clues to the identity of the alleged soldier, who is shown in silhouette but seems potentially recognizable. A transcript is available.

some light-hearted moments from the war

sergeant sandwich — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 02:52:29 -0800

A different perspective on the war in Iraq: herein, a small collection of juvenile yet amusing clips of bored soldiers entertaining themselves by singing, dancing, interacting with animals, engaged in sport, using a rocket launcher as a bong, and all sorts of intentional and unintentional screwing around.

Those ribbons aren't made of kevlar, are they?

chipr — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:20:37 -0800

Stick magnetic ribbons on your SUV. A downloadable ditty from the Asylum Street Spankers. "The Spankers preemptively state that current and former members of our band are veterans of the military, we support American troops and we love our country, especially its Constitution and Bill of Rights, but also its movies, music, whiskey and regional cuisine." (YouTubeFilter, IraqFilter, language NSFW, ouch!)

Preston Wheeler, Keven Dagit, Christopher Lem and Sascha Grenner- Case: Left Behind.

taosbat — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:40:06 -0800

Preston Wheeler , Keven Dagit, Christopher Lem and Sascha Grenner- Case: Left Behind.

Suicide Bombing: Just Say No.

CunningLinguist — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 21:09:42 -0800

Suicide Bombing: Just Say No. Hollywood-style anti-suicide bombing PSA now in heavy rotation on Iraqi TV. Previously discussed here before the spot was finished.

...another less attractive but probably more realistic version of modern warfare in Iraq today ...

amberglow — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 16:31:40 -0800

Pentagon to Soldiers: Don't Post those Trophy Videos Online ... another said it made him feel good to bring the gruesome reality of a soldier's life in Iraq to those living safely behind their "clean, white picket fences at home". ...the taking and posting of trophy video served as some kind of relief from the psychological stresses of serving as a soldier in such a violent and acutely dangerous place. ... and from PBS' Mediashift: Your Guide to Soldier Videos From Iraq

Hadji Girl

taosbat — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 13:55:20 -0800

Hadji Girl (10.6 MB wmv) Some folks think this is funny. Some don't. What do you think?

Chilling Iraqi sniper video

tellurian — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 05:18:13 -0800

I just watched the chilling video of a sniper [Flash, NSFW] in Iraq on TV. It was given to Paul McGeough of the Sydney Morning Herald and published on their site. As discussed on The ABC Lateline programme (transcript not available at posting time but pretty much covered by the SMH). Please read the report to put the video in perspective. It's propaganda but...

British soldiers filmed beating Iraqis.

insomnia_lj — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 16:01:44 -0800

British soldiers filmed beating Iraqis. A British tabloid has released footage showing British troops beating Iraqi rioters. The video, available in realplayer format or Windows Media format, was apparently taken by a British corporal, and shows at least eight British soldiers dragging four young rioters inside a British army compound, where they were repeatedly beaten with batons, boots and fists, and kicked in the genitals. Arab television and the BBC have since aired the footage.

boom!

crunchland — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 13:12:13 -0800

"A car riged [sic] with a VBIED [vehicle-borne improvised explosive device] blows up on bridge in Hit, Iraq." (Caution: contains audio with profanity.)

Falluja - The Day After

kirkaracha — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 14:32:12 -0800

Falluja - The Day After "This video has been recorded in Falluja in early Janury, 2005, when the city was reopened to civilians after the American attack of November 8th, 2004."
Warning: contains graphic images. [via Informed Comment]

Norwegian peacekeepers make better music videos.

insomnia_lj — Mon, 23 May 2005 12:42:37 -0800

A clever satirical video (Windows media) made by Norwegian peacekeepers in Kosovo triggers an international incident.
"Somalia, Grenada, or rescuing Kuwait-a... We screwed ya, Rwanda. Wish we coulda helped ya... Iraqi embargo. That's where we got hustled... Down in Kosovo, we'll kick some ass and then we'll see how it goes. And then we really don't know... Good luck to Kosovo"

Brits in Iraq

movilla — Fri, 20 May 2005 20:05:03 -0800

When you're in Iraq and have a bit of free time on your hand there's really only one thing you can do. Shame it crashed the Ministry of Defense computers.