Pictures Can Lie Too?!?!

At the website maintained by CNet, there is an article called Pictures that Lie. http://news.com.com/2300-1026_3-6033210-1.html In this article, twenty-four pictures that have been doctored or edited are displayed and comments have been made about them. After going through all the photos, the one that shocked me the most was the one that displayed a British soldier surrounded by Arabic people gesturing for them to get down with one hand, and holding a gun in the other. Particularly disturbing is that the main person he is gesturing to has a small child in his arms, seen here.
I chose this picture because, as I said, it was the most disturbing to me, and it really bothered me that someone created this image when there is already so much controversy about the Middle East. I also feel deeply for the children, not only in the Middle East, but around the world, who are forced to endure endless pain for reasons that they are not responsible for. The manipulation shown here, putting a child in such an image, is in my opinion, hitting below the belt.
This image was originally two images; the soldier was in one, the Arabic people in the other. Both photos were taken in Basra, Iraq in April of 2003. The creator of this image, Brian Walski, a staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times and a 30-year veteran of the news business, digitally composited to two photos together. This image later appeared on the front page of the Los Angeles Times shortly after the U.S. led an invasion of Iraq.
I suspect that these photos were manipulated because the new image created is incredibly provocative and controversial. It tugs at the public's heartstrings, and most importantly, when used as a cover, which it was, it sells magazines. This manipulation is incredibly harmful. It plays on the emotions of the public solely for profit. There are more than enough shocking images from the Middle East that are legitimate, digitally compositing them is not only unnecessary, but detrimental to the support and well being of the public. Obviously, the employers at Times Magazine agree, because Mr. Brian Walski lost his job of this image.

Thank You,
Eva Thompson