For journalists supposedly dedicated to uncovering the truth and informing the public, this is exactly the opposite of how things ought to be. Corrections and exposÈs should always run bigger, longer and more often than initial, discredited stories.
Most of us on the Left have known for some time now that the Bush Administration was nothing close to truthful in making their case to justify going to war in Iraq. The arguments worked- hell, for awhile, even I supported the idea of going to war, pacifist that I generally am. Two-plus years later, it has been evident for sometime that we were hoodwinked. George W. Bush and his sycophants lied to us- and there is no way to sugarcoat it. That this cabal of liars hasn’t yet been indicted as war criminals is beyond me. (Of course, he’s not a Democratic President who let an intern break in her kneepads, so he’s probably safe.)
In a secret memorandum from a meeting of Tony Blair’s top advisors in July, 2002, we finally have clear, documented proof that the decision to go to war had been made long before the intelligence used to justify it even existed. First published in May in London’s Sunday Times,
…the memo offers irrefutable proof of the way in which the Bush administration made its decision to invade Iraq — without significant consultation, reasonable intelligence on Iraq, or any desire to explore ways to avoid war — and well before seeking a Congressional or United Nations mandate of any sort.
Gee, what a shock, eh? We were knowing and openly lied to. The Bush Administration never have any other plan BUT to go to war in Iraq. And yet we all stood by and cheered and applauded and put magnetic stickers on our SUVs and ordered “Freedom Fries” and talked about how much we support our troops. Apparently, we really ARE that stupid. We re-elected Bush, didn’t we? Lying, it seems, is only a crime if you’re a Democratic President accused of adultery. Being directly responsible for the deaths of 1600+ dedicated American soldiers earns a Republican President a free pass.
By July, as the British officials reported, the decision to invade was already in the bag. The only real questions — other than those involving war planning — were how to organize the intelligence in such a way as to promote the war to come and how to finesse Congress (and the UN). While people often speak of the “road to war,” in the case of the invasion of Iraq, as this document makes clear, a more accurate phrase might be “the bum’s rush to war.”
What is truly amazing about all of this is how little attention has been generated in the mainstream media. More than 1600 (and still counting) American soldiers have died in Iraq as a result of Bush’s lies, and yet how much outrage do we hear? Have we become such sheep-like twits that we cannot even work up a healthy outrage over young Americans needlessly wasted in a war we shouldn’t have been involved in to begin with?
If Bill Clinton had been guilty of a similar breach of public trust, the weeping and gnashing of teeth would have been heard far and wide. If he was impeached over letting Monica Lewinsky polish his helmet, just imagine what Congress would have done if he had lied his way into a war of aggression result in 1600+ dead Americans? Republicans would have ridden him on a rail out of Washington…and you know what? He would have deserved it. So why is Our Sainted President being given a free ride- not only by official Washington, but also by the mainstream press and the majority of the American people?
Good Lord, people! WAKE UP AND SMELL THE CAT LITTER!! You’ve been lied to, and our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters are dying because of it…and yet you sit by idly as if nothing is happening?
If you’re not angry, if you’re not outraged by this, you’re not paying attention…and apparently, most of you (as well as the mainstream media) are not.
So much for the “Liberal” media….
Bill Clinton's only crime was not being a member of the Republican Party. If Kerry had been allowed into office we'd be hearing non-stop coverage of "paperclip-gate" by now. Bush, on the other hand, can pretty much do anything shy of raping a child on the White House Lawn and the MSM won't touch it. I have no idea why this is, but I have a feeling the answer isn't pretty.