The World's Worst Photoshop Propaganda

Here's a scenario for you: You're a megalomaniac world leader with an obsequious state-run media outlet at your disposal. You've upset your constituency in some capacity and need to regain their favor, real quick. Releasing an image in the newspaper of you doing something they would approve of would be perfect, but you've so seldom done things they approve of that you don't have a photo at the ready. What do you do?

The answer most of these world leaders arrive at is simple—just create a photo and pretend it's real.

After the Syrian Arab News Agency released a ridiculous and obviously doctored photograph of their nation's president yesterday (the image is two separate images jammed together, with no effort made to seamlessly merge the two), The Atlantic decided to take their readers on a Tour of the World's Worst Photoshop Propaganda. The results are amazing.

What always astonishes me about these incidents is that there aren't more Photoshop-savvy people around to make these things look more professional. Or, if not more professional, at least less glaringly inauthentic. Like this:

From The Atlantic: "China's Huili county government got in trouble for posting a photo of officials inspecting--nay, levitating above--a new highway."