Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

J.F. - Americans were duped by the prez, and the press
Lewiston Morning Tribune ^ | 8/27/05 | Jim Fisher

Posted on 08/28/2005 12:07:17 AM PDT by RadicalSon2

As the American people wise up about the war in Iraq, and the shifting rationale behind it, they aren't letting the press off the hook.

Good for them.

As President Bush led the nation into the invasion of Iraq, the evidence he cited as justification for the overthrow of the Saddam Hussein regime was too often echoed by news organizations that holstered the skepticism they customarily bring to their work. As a result, any doubts about the wisdom of the war focused on strategy rather than factual truth.

Hussein's purported possession of weapons of mass destruction was accepted as established fact. His alleged attempt to build nuclear bombs was reported without the qualifying statements it deserved. And members of the Bush administration were given greater credibility than those who remained skeptical, including United Nations chief weapons inspector Hans Blix.

The public now knows that. It says so in a new Gallup poll commissioned by the McCormick Tribune Foundation of Chicago.

Sixty-one percent of the poll's respondents said the press keeps them well informed on military and national security issues. That might not sound so bad, but 79 percent gave the same response to the same question in 1999.

More telling is that more than 60 percent of people criticized the news media and the government for failing to inform them adequately before the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The problem wasn't that news organizations uniformly expressed support for an invasion -- some did and some did not -- but that they almost universally confirmed the factual basis for it. Since that factual basis has been found to have been untrue, some of the larger organizations responsible, notably including the New York Times, have publicly acknowledged their errors.

Many smaller organizations, however, served as an amen chorus for the drumbeat of news about how dangerous Iraq was. This page, for example, opposed the invasion itself, but spoke uncritically of Saddam Hussein's dangers, at least to his neighbors.

It turned out Hussein was a paper tiger, in more ways than one. His menace to the world existed only on paper -- and in the nation's newspapers.

Most Americans apparently have learned that lesson. Let's hope most of the news organizations responsible for it have. -- J.F.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: revisionism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-138 next last
To: thoughtomator
invaded Kuwait, tried to assassinate a US President, sponsored suicide bombing in Israel, sponsored the 1993 WTC bombing, made the only military-grade anthrax outside the US and USSR, attempted to invade Iran at the cost of 1.5 million lives, used nerve gas to wipe out a village of 5000 people, and

See, I was talking about the ones that they have shifted their logic on, the ones you've got there are the ones they have no answers to at all. The MSM would rather eat a bucket of worms than admit what you've just pointed out.

21 posted on 08/28/2005 2:45:20 AM PDT by bad company (what the hell happened to the 11th commandment?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: bad company

The list ain't even complete. Didn't even put down his little hijacking-training camp at Salman Pak, support for Hezbollah, that Iraq was officially at war with us continuously since 1991 up until the moment we removed the tyrant, 12 years of anti-aircraft games, the fact that we needed to impose the no-fly zone in the first place to prevent him from wiping out the Kurds, the UN inspections runaround, and Oil-for-Fraud. Lord knows there's plenty more on Saddam's ledger that will earn him a unique spot in Hell.


22 posted on 08/28/2005 2:54:18 AM PDT by thoughtomator (Hey Senator! Leave those kids alone!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: sydbas
"This stupid article could have, and I guess has been, written by a hundred other biased reporters."

I think it's just a standard form letter that lefty media prints once in a while just to keep themselves believing their own horse crap.

23 posted on 08/28/2005 2:56:46 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: thoughtomator

That's over 43,000 people a year who are alive thanks to our Troops, or one million people that would have been killed had we left Saddam -hero of the Left- alone. Unless he finnished building a nuke or two, then that number would have climbed drastically. He was trying hard to been Hitlers record.


24 posted on 08/28/2005 3:08:25 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2
Somebody should remind Jeff-bob that the only reason he can make the paper tiger comment is because we invaded Iraq.Jeff and his liberal buddies always jump on the no WMDs in Iraq claim but they can't be dumb enough to believe it.Saddam was working on WMDs and we also found all the components necessary to build them.Just because we didn't find a huge missile filled with nerve gas the liberals claim president Bush lied.Saddam wasn't a paper tiger but Jeff is a cardboard journalist.
25 posted on 08/28/2005 3:19:39 AM PDT by rdcorso (Bill Clinton Stuck His Cigar In Foreign Places And Called It Foreign Policy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rdcorso

Some days I want to argue facts with these nut jobs but some days I just want to draw my .38 and double tap them, today is one of those days. Trying to use logic with these idiots is just a waste of time. Let's clean up the gene pool.


26 posted on 08/28/2005 5:12:20 AM PDT by USS Alaska (Nuke the terrorist savages - In Honor of Standing Wolf)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2
Some should said the author of this piece this [maybe throwing in a few key underlines and bolded sentences]:

Resolution 1441 (2002)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4644th meeting, on
8 November 2002

The Security Council,
Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular its resolutions 661 (1990) of 6 August 1990, 678 (1990) of 29 November 1990, 686 (1991) of 2 March 1991, 687 (1991) of 3 April 1991, 688 (1991) of 5 April 1991, 707 (1991) of 15 August 1991, 715 (1991) of 11 October 1991, 986 (1995) of 14 April 1995, and 1284 (1999) of 17 December 1999, and all the relevant statements of its President,

Recalling also its resolution 1382 (2001) of 29 November 2001 and its intention to implement it fully,

Recognizing the threat Iraq's non-compliance with Council resolutions and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles poses to international peace and security,

Recalling that its resolution 678 (1990) authorized Member States to use all necessary means to uphold and implement its resolution 660 (1990) of 2 August 1990 and all relevant resolutions subsequent to resolution 660 (1990) and to restore international peace and security in the area,

Further recalling that its resolution 687 (1991) imposed obligations on Iraq as a necessary step for achievement of its stated objective of restoring international peace and security in the area,

Deploring the fact that Iraq has not provided an accurate, full, final, and complete disclosure, as required by resolution 687 (1991), of all aspects of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles with a range greater than one hundred and fifty kilometres, and of all holdings of such weapons, their components and production facilities and locations, as well as all other nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to nuclear-weapons-usable material,

Deploring further that Iraq repeatedly obstructed immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to sites designated by the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), failed to cooperate fully and unconditionally with UNSCOM and IAEA weapons inspectors, as required by resolution 687 (1991), and ultimately ceased all cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA in 1998,

Deploring the absence, since December 1998, in Iraq of international monitoring, inspection, and verification, as required by relevant resolutions, of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, in spite of the Council's repeated demands that Iraq provide immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), established in resolution 1284 (1999) as the successor organization to UNSCOM, and the IAEA, and regretting the consequent prolonging of the crisis in the region and the suffering of the Iraqi people,

Deploring also that the Government of Iraq has failed to comply with its commitments pursuant to resolution 687 (1991) with regard to terrorism, pursuant to resolution 688 (1991) to end repression of its civilian population and to provide access by international humanitarian organizations to all those in need of assistance in Iraq, and pursuant to resolutions 686 (1991), 687 (1991), and 1284 (1999) to return or cooperate in accounting for Kuwaiti and third country nationals wrongfully detained by Iraq, or to return Kuwaiti property wrongfully seized by Iraq, Recalling that in its resolution 687 (1991) the Council declared that a ceasefire would be based on acceptance by Iraq of the provisions of that resolution, including the obligations on Iraq contained therein,

Determined to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq without conditions or restrictions with its obligations under resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions and recalling that the resolutions of the Council constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance,

Recalling that the effective operation of UNMOVIC, as the successor organization to the Special Commission, and the IAEA is essential for the implementation of resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions, Noting that the letter dated 16 September 2002 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq addressed to the Secretary-General is a necessary first step toward rectifying Iraq's continued failure to comply with relevant Council resolutions, Noting further the letter dated 8 October 2002 from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq laying out the practical arrangements, as a follow-up to their meeting in Vienna, that are prerequisites for the resumption of inspections in Iraq by UNMOVIC and the IAEA, and expressing the gravest concern at the continued failure by the Government of Iraq to provide confirmation of the arrangements as laid out in that letter,

Reaffirming the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, Kuwait, and the neighbouring States,

Commending the Secretary-General and members of the League of Arab States and its Secretary-General for their efforts in this regard,

Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions, Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Decides that Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations under relevant resolutions, including resolution 687 (1991), in particular through Iraq's failure to cooperate with United Nations inspectors and the IAEA, and to complete the actions required under paragraphs 8 to 13 of resolution 687 (1991);

2. Decides, while acknowledging paragraph 1 above, to afford Iraq, by this resolution, a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations under relevant resolutions of the Council; and accordingly decides to set up an enhanced inspection regime with the aim of bringing to full and verified completion the disarmament process established by resolution 687 (1991) and subsequent resolutions of the Council;

3. Decides that, in order to begin to comply with its disarmament obligations, in addition to submitting the required biannual declarations, the Government of Iraq shall provide to UNMOVIC, the IAEA, and the Council, not later than 30 days from the date of this resolution, a currently accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other delivery systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles and dispersal systems designed for use on aircraft, including any holdings and precise locations of such weapons, components, subcomponents, stocks of agents, and related material and equipment, the locations and work of its research, development and production facilities, as well as all other chemical, biological, and nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to weapon production or material;

4. Decides that false statements or omissions in the declarations submitted by Iraq pursuant to this resolution and failure by Iraq at any time to comply with, and cooperate fully in the implementation of, this resolution shall constitute a further material breach of Iraq's obligations and will be reported to the Council for assessment in accordance with paragraphs 11 and 12 below;

5. Decides that Iraq shall provide UNMOVIC and the IAEA immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to any and all, including underground, areas, facilities, buildings, equipment, records, and means of transport which they wish to inspect, as well as immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons whom UNMOVIC or the IAEA wish to interview in the mode or location of UNMOVIC's or the IAEA's choice pursuant to any aspect of their mandates; further decides that UNMOVIC and the IAEA may at their discretion conduct interviews inside or outside of Iraq, may facilitate the travel of those interviewed and family members outside of Iraq, and that, at the sole discretion of UNMOVIC and the IAEA, such interviews may occur without the presence of observers from the Iraqi Government; and instructs UNMOVIC and requests the IAEA to resume inspections no later than 45 days following adoption of this resolution and to update the Council 60 days thereafter;

6. Endorses the 8 October 2002 letter from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq, which is annexed hereto, and decides that the contents of the letter shall be binding upon Iraq;

7. Decides further that, in view of the prolonged interruption by Iraq of the presence of UNMOVIC and the IAEA and in order for them to accomplish the tasks set forth in this resolution and all previous relevant resolutions and notwithstanding prior understandings, the Council hereby establishes the following revised or additional authorities, which shall be binding upon Iraq, to facilitate their work in Iraq:

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall determine the composition of their inspection teams and ensure that these teams are composed of the most qualified and experienced experts available;

- All UNMOVIC and IAEA personnel shall enjoy the privileges and immunities, corresponding to those of experts on mission, provided in the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the IAEA;

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have unrestricted rights of entry into and out of Iraq, the right to free, unrestricted, and immediate movement to and from inspection sites, and the right to inspect any sites and buildings, including immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to Presidential Sites equal to that at other sites, notwithstanding the provisions of resolution 1154 (1998) of 2 March 1998;

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to be provided by Iraq the names of all personnel currently and formerly associated with Iraq's chemical, biological, nuclear, and ballistic missile programmes and the associated research, development, and production facilities;

- Security of UNMOVIC and IAEA facilities shall be ensured by sufficient United Nations security guards;

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to declare, for the purposes of freezing a site to be inspected, exclusion zones, including surrounding areas and transit corridors, in which Iraq will suspend ground and aerial movement so that nothing is changed in or taken out of a site being inspected;

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the free and unrestricted use and landing of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, including manned and unmanned reconnaissance vehicles;

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right at their sole discretion verifiably to remove, destroy, or render harmless all prohibited weapons, subsystems, components, records, materials, and other related items, and the right to impound or close any facilities or equipment for the production thereof; and

- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to free import and use of equipment or materials for inspections and to seize and export any equipment, materials, or documents taken during inspections, without search of UNMOVIC or IAEA personnel or official or personal baggage;

8. Decides further that Iraq shall not take or threaten hostile acts directed against any representative or personnel of the United Nations or the IAEA or of any Member State taking action to uphold any Council resolution;

9. Requests the Secretary-General immediately to notify Iraq of this resolution, which is binding on Iraq; demands that Iraq confirm within seven days of that notification its intention to comply fully with this resolution; and demands further that Iraq cooperate immediately, unconditionally, and actively with UNMOVIC and the IAEA;

10. Requests all Member States to give full support to UNMOVIC and the IAEA in the discharge of their mandates, including by providing any information related to prohibited programmes or other aspects of their mandates, including on Iraqi attempts since 1998 to acquire prohibited items, and by recommending sites to be inspected, persons to be interviewed, conditions of such interviews, and data to be collected, the results of which shall be reported to the Council by UNMOVIC and the IAEA;

11. Directs the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to report immediately to the Council any interference by Iraq with inspection activities, as well as any failure by Iraq to comply with its disarmament obligations, including its obligations regarding inspections under this resolution;

12. Decides to convene immediately upon receipt of a report in accordance with paragraphs 4 or 11 above, in order to consider the situation and the need for full compliance with all of the relevant Council resolutions in order to secure international peace and security;

13. Recalls, in that context, that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations;

14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

27 posted on 08/28/2005 5:16:21 AM PDT by LowCountryJoe (50 states, and their various laws, will serve 'we, the people' better than just one LARGE state can)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Casloy
...with the biggest single oil reserves in the world

With the second largest supply of proven oil reserves. Saudi Arabia is the largest and has more than twice the Iraqi supplies.

28 posted on 08/28/2005 5:16:38 AM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bad company
”Enter Able Danger and the next arguement will be that saddam didn't actually fly the planes himself.”

A tell a ‘friend’ of mine how Saddam finnanced Atta and he says, “I don’t believe Saddam even knew what side of the bed he woke up on, someone else was running that country.” I press him and ‘learn’ Saddam wasn’t even running the country it was his sons. In other words Saddam wasn't responsible.
I roll my eyes and call my friend nuts.

29 posted on 08/28/2005 5:18:14 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* “I love you guys”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2
"...Hussein was a paper tiger..."

Yeah, and here are some of Saddam's paper throw aways:


30 posted on 08/28/2005 5:20:15 AM PDT by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Renderofveils
Likewise, the Lefty MSM never interviewed any Cambodians after '75, either.
This is known as 'Selective Journalism 101'.
31 posted on 08/28/2005 5:24:04 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2
Coming to your newspaper soon. . .the mea culpa of the media being duped and therefore, it's readers. . .as they finally drop all pretense of 'journalism'.

And yes, they should have istened to honorable men. . .like Hans Blix. . .but redemption is not too far away - 'elections coming up'. . .

32 posted on 08/28/2005 5:24:42 AM PDT by cricket (.Just say NO U.N.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2

The MSM wrote dozens of article in the 90's about the growing relationship between Saddam and Osama.

In July 2001, Iraq's government run newspaper wrote about what was going to happen in NY. Maybe Osama was just gossiping with Saddam.

The Democrats INSISTED that a resolution be written before we went to war in Iraq and THEY used the language that we KNOW that Saddam support Al Qaeda.

That and lots more about the OBL and Saddam links here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1327993/posts?page=184


33 posted on 08/28/2005 5:25:07 AM PDT by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2
...the press keeps them,/i> well informed on military and national security issues

Fiiiiiiiisssshhhhherrrrr.....Time to wake up Mr. Fiiiiiissssshhhheeeeeeerr.

34 posted on 08/28/2005 5:38:29 AM PDT by ExcursionGuy84 ("I will Declare the Beauty of The LORD.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2
JF???

Jim Fisher is so popular with conservatives that he is known by only his initials?

I must not get around enough.

35 posted on 08/28/2005 5:54:40 AM PDT by linkinpunk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2

This idiot is the editor of my local paper. I went to a "meet and greet" session with the publisher, JF, and other editors about a year ago concerning their coverage of local issues. Their coverage of our local economy is worse than their coverage of Iraq.

I had to explain to JF that there were control systems on wood burning boilers used in local sawmills that made them burn fuel a lot cleaner than fuel burned by the forest service in our local forests after he stated that there was no difference between the two sources of wood smoke.

The managing editor asked what work I did and I told him I installed new production equipment in area sawmills. He then asked if I worked much. When I told him we'd been working steady since the capitol gains tax cut went into effect, he was genuinely shocked.

JF and the managing editor's forest policy agenda is largely responsible for central Idaho's government owned forests being the most dangerous in the country. They ignore Hussein's connection to Jihadists just like they ignore the connect between their forest policy agenda and the most dangerous forests in the country.


36 posted on 08/28/2005 6:22:01 AM PDT by yoswif
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yoswif
When I told him we'd been working steady since the capitol gains tax cut went into effect, he was genuinely shocked.

Interesting story. Can you please tell me how capital gains taxes affect investment in physical plant in the forest product industry?

37 posted on 08/28/2005 6:34:50 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly evil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Casloy
For that matter, Hitler was a paper tiger in 1934.

Yeah, sure. Saddam was the Second Hitler, like Noriega and Milosevic.

38 posted on 08/28/2005 6:49:40 AM PDT by A. Pole (" There is no other god but Free Market, and Adam Smith is his prophet ! ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: RadicalSon2

There were many reasons to go to Iraq. MANY. WMD was just one. The media is way too stupid to grasp the concept of Iraq and its importance to terrorism. Intellectualism? Don't make me laugh!


39 posted on 08/28/2005 6:55:45 AM PDT by AmericanChef
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AmericanChef
There were many reasons to go to Iraq.

And there were many reasons NOT to go.

40 posted on 08/28/2005 7:03:53 AM PDT by A. Pole (" There is no other god but Free Market, and Adam Smith is his prophet ! ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-138 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson