One of the reasons President Bush and his boss Dick Cheney were able to launch the war in Iraq in 2003, was due to the relative silence of the American press and the lack of investigative journalism into the conflict of interest of two former oil industry executives desire to go to war in Iraq.
I thought it was quite witty to call Cheney Bush's boss, but before the sentence was out, we have a serious inference. Could the fact that these guys had been in the oil business have had something to do with it? And, as il grande principe asks, why wasn't the press more vocal about that?
The results have been tragic for many and very profitable for a few. Some believe the American casualties, dead and wounded, are over 100,000 and the Iraqi numbers over 1,000,000. The profits for politically favored military contractors have been incalculable.
The relative silence of the US press to make an issue of the recent nomination and approval of former defense company lobbyists William Lynn and Michele Flournoy for high-level Department of Defense positions is another example of the diminishing power of the press in America. Similar to the conflict of interest that Dick Cheney had in granting a non competitive defense contract to a company he had been the president of, the recent Congressional approval of former lobbyists in the Pentagon also presents a conflict of interest for the Pentagon and the new Obama administration.
Is this something that can be blamed on the press? Or is this just the way business is done in Washington D.C.? Do you think these appointments, and others like them, will derail the Obama administration into being another train wreck like its predecessor?
What's your opinion?
The silence of the Press in 2002-2003? I heard it quite LOUDLY! It was all about Patriotism and Vengeance, two interesting mixtures which have produced mostly toxic results all throughout history.
ReplyDeleteI think the mainstream media in America is not news. I watch CNBC on satellite and I cannot believe what passes as the evening news.
ReplyDeleteYou get 15 to 30 second spots, then the disease or health problem of the day...a touchy feel good story and the war in Iraq is never mentioned.
During the build up to the war, the mainstream media proved that all they are interested in selling a story. Mudrake's right, Patriotism and Vengeance were the hot button words and responsible investigative journalism was TREASON!
I dunno, the reasons for going to war (We can debate if they were justified and/or true in another post...or over in my blog where there's a pretty good discussion going on already) Were being parroted in a bi-partisan fashion.]
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing that republican stalwart, Ted Kennedy addressing the need to remove Saddam Hussein from power, and talking of the threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
'Ol Teddy has a higher security clearance than the press does, and he has access to intelligence data the news media does not.
My point being, right-or-wrong, I don't think any blame can fall on the Media (and trust me I'm no friend of them at all) for their reports of pre-invasion Iraq.
The Opinione article didn't say it explicitly, but I think the press cooperated with the Bush/Cheney con job which briefly had the vast majority of Americans under the ether.
ReplyDeleteIn this the press was at fault.
The instability of the region, the history of Iraq's war on Kuwait, Iraq's desire for revenge and shared sentiments with al qaeda, the intelligence that came even from foreign intel, not just from ours, the fact of the Shihite uprising in Iraq when they hoped we would help them overthrow Sadam after the Gulf War, his holocaust against shia, Kurds and war with Iran--and yes, indeedy, OIL!
ReplyDeleteIf middle-eastern and other nations cut off oil to our nation, how long could we sustain our national defense and infrastructure, transportation, economy? Thanks to Dems, we are not ready to produce all the oil we need for ourselves. Saudi Arabia feared Iraq's design on them and we get oil from Saudis. My neighbor who worked there in oil company said Saudis were glad when we deposed Sadam.
We need allies in the Middle east --and are hoping for peaceful gov'ts in afghanistan and Iraq --because there are millions of unarmed peaceful people in tyrannical nations --who can't overthrow evil despots because the despots have all the weapons. So when Geo Bush says he was fighting for freedom in those nations --knowing that tyranny produces terrorism--he meant it.
I don't mean to laugh [well, yes I do] at one of the comments here.
ReplyDeleteActually [excuse me while I get myself under control...]
OK. I'm better now...
Anyhow, just look at the evidence [right above this comment] as to the long-lasting effectiveness of government propaganda.
Goebbels would be proud.