Robert Parry: GOP/Media Rewrite Iraq War History

[babylonsister]

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/060807.html

GOP/Media Rewrite Iraq War History

By Robert Parry
June 8, 2007

snip//

‘Big Lie’

This strategy of repeating a “big lie” often enough to make it sound true was famously described in the writings of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels during World War II. However, given the relatively free U.S. press, many Americans felt they were protected from “big lie” techniques, counting on journalists to call lying politicians to account.

But that clearly is no longer the case – and hasn’t been for some time. Facing career pressure from well-organized right-wing attack groups, American journalists act more like triangulating politicians, fearful of accusations of “liberal bias” or unpatriotic behavior or softness on terrorism.

To have challenged George W. Bush in July 2003 – when he was near the height of his popularity and to do so in a way that might be interpreted as defending Saddam Hussein – would have looked like career suicide to many American reporters.

So, discretion – or in this case the acceptance of a lie as truth – was the better part of valor. And once the lie was repeated enough, it would have sounded odd to suddenly start challenging what had become the official version of reality. It was the smarter choice to stay silent and avoid certain punishment from Bush’s defenders.

Clever journalists know that it’s much safer to bash someone like, say, Al Gore. There’s virtually no career downside to do that.

Now, the bogus history of Saddam Hussein barring the U.N. inspectors has been passed down to a new political generation and surely is believed by millions of Americans who will be called on to evaluate this latest cast of aspiring presidential hopefuls.

To state the obvious, this is not the way a healthy democracy should work.

[gatorboy]

1. Romney tested the waters for this lie at the last Repub debate.

And no one. Not Wolf, not anyone connected to the MSM called him on his (lie) mistake.