
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 22, 1991                   TAG: 9103220883
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CEASE-FIRE/ TWISTING THE TALE

IF YOU HAD complaints about U.S. military censorship, consider what the Iraqis had to put up with. Here's how a spokesman on Baghdad radio announced the cease-fire last month, a tale worthy of "Arabian Nights":

"The aggressors imagined that through the Iraqi command decision to withdraw from Kuwait they were able to put our armed forces in a position that is contrary to the military and manly values for which the men of the mother of battles are known in this great showdown. . . .

"Due to faith in our capability that is able to teach the enemy forces lessons that will make them worried militarily and politically if the war continued, Bush announced his [cease-fire] decision early this morning.

"We are happy for the halt in fighting, which will save the blood of our sons and the safety of our people after God made them victorious by faith against their evil enemies and save the blood of the sons of humanity who suffered due to Bush and his traitorous agents. Therefore, orders were issued to all our units at the battlefront not to open fire. God is great."

Yes, the statement probably suffered a bit in translation. But it was put through torture long before that.

by CNB