A quote worth revisiting ...

[Ian_rd]

I saw this quote repeated often after it became clear before the war that the Bush Administration and the media were manipulating us into supporting a war of no necessity. It is easily one of the most horrifying statements ever made, because it has proven to be true.

"Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.

"The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

Hermann Göring – Commander of the Luftwaffe, and one-time designated successor to Adolf Hitler

Some of the most morbidly fascinating news of our time, and by far the most important if we are to understand how democracy can be warped into dictatorship, is the fact that a large majority of Americans once believed that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

No Bush Administration official ever made this claim.

So how did they accomplish this coup of public thought in order to stir up support for their splendid little war? It was done through what is perhaps the most skillful manipulation of people in a democracy that has ever been witnessed. We must never forget how they did this to our country.

Remember. Poll: 70% believe Saddam, 9-11 link, USA Today, September 6, 2003

[MrModerate]

1. Maybe my memory is faulty . . .

(and I know they rely on people's memories being faulty), but I thought that *at least* Cheney made direct references to Hussein and 9/11. I'm remembering (or misremembering) a MemoryHole debunking.

Certainly, numerous administration officials, in their sloppy, broad brush way, conflated Hussein, 9/11, al-Qaida, and terrorism in general -- with the specific intent of making people think that Hussein was all-but an al-Qaida operative.

[Ian_rd]

2. The closest they came to this claim was Cheney's

...assertion (proven false again and again) that and Iraqi intelligence operative met with Hijacker Mohammed Atta in Prague.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47812-2004Jun16.html