Egyptian Gov’t-Owned Paper Caught Photoshopping White House Summit

Al-Ahram, Egypt’s government-owned daily, was caught photoshopping an image of Mideast leaders at the White House summit. It’s a great example of the power of manipulating an image, and the extent of propaganda in the Arab government-controlled media.

Here’s the real image. I’ll head off the conspiracy theorists by comparing everyone’s positions to the same image in the White House photo gallery (image 19/23).

Now here’s the image Al-Ahram readers saw (see WaElk’s screen capture, via The Arabist). Note the prominence of President Mubarak, strolling front and center.

I can’t wait to see Al-Ahram’s photos of the new round of talks Egypt’s hosting in Sharm el-Sheikh.