![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4640/388/320/930206/elalamein.jpg)
Fabrications, of course, are as old as war reporting itself, and the photograph here is a classic example. Purporting to show Australian infantry attacking during the second battle of Alamein in 1942, it was entirely staged. To get the dramatic effect, the Aussies blew up their own cookhouse and then advanced into the smoke, the photographer Len Chetwyn recording the epic action for prosperity.
This type of photography is relatively benign, representing that which took place anyway but it was still staged – it represented the truth but it was not itself, literally the truth. Where thus lie the equally staged scenes at Qana, earlier this year?
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4640/388/320/515456/green%20helmet%20018.jpg)
Perhaps the quintessential differences between the Alamein and the Qana was this. In the former, the photograph was quite obviously for propaganda purposes, taken by an obviously partisan source to project a specific message. In the latter, the pictures were taken by news agencies purporting to convey the objective truth. And it is that lie which offends.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4640/388/320/258796/Khan%20001.jpg)
And they continue to do it. Published by the agency this week are two photographs of Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, on a visit to Qana. In one (above left) she is seen posing in front of a Hezbollah flag while, in the other (right), she talks to a member of the Chalhoub family, with a montage of photographs of the incident, "Green Helmet" prominent amongst them.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4640/388/320/184561/Khan%20002.jpg)
One wonders whether Mz Khan would be so keen to pose in front of an Israeli flag, whether she would shed a tear or two over the Israelis who have been killed or whether AP's Mohammed Zaatari would be there to record that event. One also wonders whether AP, which is so keen to represent Hezbollah as victims, have noted this.
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