Q. What kind of visual evidence do you trust?

A. These images were presented to the United Nations National Security Council by Colin Powell in 2003 as evidence that Saddam Hussein was deceiving UN inspectors and moving chemical weapons. The photographs were released to the public and seemed convincing evidence that transfer of materials used in weapons making was, in fact, taking place. It was particularly alarming within the context of the events of 9/11. In retrospect, since it is now widely understood that no weapons of mass destruction ever existed in Iraq, it has become clear that we were collectively duped by these and other images. We trusted the visual expertise of national security advisors and surveillance systems and in doing so we were misled. In truth, most Americans have almost no ability to evaluate these kinds of images; these are simply grainy photographs of big trucks around buildings. Important to remember, since there will undoubtedly be another time when we are shown images with highly political ramifications.