Bush Lie? Let Us Count The Ways
This is not big news for most of us, but it’s reassuring to
have one’s own opinions verified. The full low down on all
of the lies told in just a two year period can be found on
the websites of the Center for Public Integrity and the Fund
for Independence in Journalism who conducted and published
the damning research.
The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year
period from 2001 until March 19, 2003 when he effectively
moved this country into war with Iraq, as was the plan.
.In speeches, briefings, interviews, and other venues, Bush
and administration officials stated unequivocally that Iraq
had weapons of destruction or was trying to produce or
obtain them, or had links to al-Qaida or both.
Possibly under the theory that if the public heard the same
things often enough and from different Whitehouse officials,
the Bush team joined in. The list includes V.P. Cheney,
Security Advisor Condi Rice, Defense Secretary Rummy,
Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Defense Secretary
Paul Wolfowitz, and press secretaries Ari Fleischer and
Scott McClelland. All are listed and contributed their own
large numbers of falsehoods for instance, widely trusted
Colin Powell logs in with 244 statements about the WMD’s,
Iraq and their connection to al-Qaida.
The lies did not stand on their own but were amplified by
thousands of news stories and broadcasts in the months
before war. Now some of those news organizations acknowledge
that their coverage was deferential and uncritical.
Knowing that Iraq did not possess the infamous weapons of
mass destruction leads to the conclusion that the Bush
administration led the nation to war on the basis of
erroneous information, methodically propagated and that
culminated in military action against Iraq on March 19,
2003. One hopes action will be taken now that this
information is on the table, he has skated through worse
incriminations. Shame on us if we don’t demand answers.
To see further information: Center For Public Integrity