Welcome To: Islamic Terrorist Idol!

The following is a short transcript of a potential show. Every word comes straight from Video Shows Another Side of Al-Zarqawi, a Yahoo News article.

Ryan Seacrest:	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's new video marks a shift by the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq toward a less radical image, one that might appeal to the Iraqi insurgency more than the beheadings for which he's become notorious.
Paula Abdul:	The video released Tuesday, the first by al-Zarqawi that shows his face, features scenes of the black-garbed terrorist firing a gun and hunkered over a map plotting strategy. The Sunni Muslim extremist, 39, looks youthful and healthy in the springtime desert.
Randy Jackson:	It's a departure from the past. There's no strident anti-Shiite rhetoric and no beheadings.
Simon Cowell:	He wants to be a 'good' insurgent in a more moderate sense — an Iraqi sense — to appeal to Iraqis.
Randy Jackson:	He feels very worried that he's losing popularity inside Iraq...This is a change of strategy. He feels that he needs to make himself visible more in order to get support.
Paula Abdul:	The video shows a "softer image" of al-Zarqawi. It suggests he isn't just the leader of a fanatical band, but a more general-like figure, and also an action man himself.
Randy Jackson:	Al-Zarqawi has done audiotapes, including one in January. But he has kept a relatively low profile since then, when his group merged with five other Iraqi insurgent groups to form the Mujahedeen Shura Council.
Simon Cowell:	The tape suggests al-Zarqawi is working to shore up his position within the insurgency...He appeared to have a sense of mystique by never showing his face. In choosing to come out of the shadows, he may be changing tack."

And who might they bring in to help the contestants? Perhaps media consultant Nashat Aqtash. A Guardian article from January helpfully concludes with a summary of advice for Hamas on improving its image:

Helpful hints

The advice Nashat Aqtash gave to Hamas:

· Say you are not against Israelis as Jews

· Don't talk about destroying Israel

· Do talk about Palestinian suffering

· Don't celebrate killing people

· Change beard colour (if red)

Don't talk about it.
Don't celebrate it.
But no need to stop it.

Image is everything.



Crossposted at Israpundit

Technorati Tag: Israel and Hamas and Terrorism and al-Zarqawi and Media Bias.