Krugman: "The War President"

[Inland]

Ya gotta read Krugman.

Entire column at
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/24/opinion/24krugman.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

June 24, 2005
The War President
By PAUL KRUGMAN
*******
We need to deprive these people of their ability to mislead and intimidate. And the best way to do that is to make it clear that the people who led us to war on false pretenses have no credibility, and no right to lecture the rest of us about patriotism.

The good news is that the public seems ready to hear that message - readier than the media are to deliver it. Major media organizations still act as if only a small, left-wing fringe believes that we were misled into war, but that "fringe" now comprises much if not most of the population.
**

[struggle4progress]

1. "Once the media catch up with the public, we'll be able to start ..

.. talking seriously about how to get out of Iraq."

Thanks, Inland!

[eleny]

2. He's so right when he said:

"We need to deprive these people of their ability to mislead and intimidate. And the best way to do that is to make it clear that the people who led us to war on false pretenses have no credibility, and no right to lecture the rest of us about patriotism."

[livvy]

10. This is one of my favorite parts of the editorial.

They have "no right to lecture the rest of us about patriotism." I think this is an important point to stress, and I think we have the right to be downright haughty about it. Seeking and telling the truth, protecting our rights and the words of the Constitution are nothing to be ashamed about. Feeling that its wrong to invade another country for personal and economic gain is an admirable quality.
Another great editorial by Krugman. I love that guy's writings. It's so nice to have an intelligent voice of reason out there, no spin, just the facts.
(Edit)I think this is a must read also and a great one to pass along to your email lists!
Recommend for greatest!

[libertypirate]

3. OUch

"Bush wanted to remove Saddam," says the memo, "through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and W.M.D. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy." It doesn't get much clearer than that.

The U.S. news media largely ignored the memo for five weeks after it was released in The Times of London. Then some asserted that it was "old news" that Mr. Bush wanted war in the summer of 2002, and that W.M.D. were just an excuse. No, it isn't. Media insiders may have suspected as much, but they didn't inform their readers, viewers and listeners. And they have never held Mr. Bush accountable for his repeated declarations that he viewed war as a last resort.

[bemildred]

4. "The Whore pResident". nt

[Jack Rabbit]

5. War President?

The War Criminal President.

[bklyncowgirl]

6. Excellent Krugman column as usual

Clear, thought provoking and also, although he doesn't say it outright, a serious criticism of his own paper which has been been among the leading media outlets to ignore and marginalize the Downing Street Memo and the movement to end the war.

[BeyondThePale]

7. Vintage Krugman!!!

Wow, this may be his best ever...

[Tommymac]

8. I agree..this piece should be a standard...

by which the media judges itself.

Excellent article...subtle, concise, yet breathing fire by leaving things implied but unstated.

Recommending for greatest thread.

[bpilgrim]

9. we were just talking about this on DU

DU thread....

and we had Helen Thomas's quote on the greates page recently as well...
"I have never covered a president who actually wanted to go to war"

we are very fortunate to have him, thank you Mr. Krugman for telling it like it is :toast:

peace

[geckosfeet]

11. Yes. And simply responding to blathering like Roves comments as if they

are worthy of dicussion, much less casual recognition is a mistake and a distraction. The msm is a failure. They have sold out big time.

We need to focus on supporting national democratic election initiatives, grassroots political actions and local elections.

[Briar]

12. "Let bygones be bygones"

"Still, some of my colleagues insist that we should let bygones be bygones. The question, they say, is what we do now. But they're wrong: it's crucial that those responsible for the war be held to account."

This is certainly the view in the UK - it's time Bliar was allowed to move on, seems to be the consensus among our political journalists. But Krugman is right: this can't be allowed to happen, and those who are trying to ensure it does are, I believe, complicit in the crimes in the first place. Just as someone who covers for a murderer becomes an accessory after the fact...

[XemaSab]

13. I really don't know how Krugman

can consistently tell it like it is, while all his colleagues are sitting around holding their jammies and talking about nothing.

[freesqueeze]

14. Most See Bush as Most Responsible

for the war in Iraq. NO KIDDING.

Was Timothy McVea responsible for the OKC bombing?