Chorus of Syria leaks bears hallmark of White House's orchestrated spin.
Journalists have been told by the administration to 'place more credibility in on-the-record statements' – but that hasn't stopped the White House leaking information when it suits
Just as the White House unveiled its dossier of evidence of chemical weapons attacks in Syria on Friday, two senior administration officials were giving a telephone briefing to the media. They were authorised by the administration to attest to the reliability of intelligence suggesting the attacks were carried out by Syria – but only on the condition of anonymity.
Exactly 24 hours earlier, the White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest had discouraged reporters from trusting anonymous administration officials, saying they should "place more credibility in on-the-record statements".
The shadow of the Iraq war looms large over the Syria crisis, not just for the White House, but for journalists too. Parts of the US media were perceived to have failed to sufficiently challenge the evidence for the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, in the run-up to the invasion in 2003. This time around, there's a discernible air of scepticism.
The Obama administration, on the other hand, seems to be happy to leak information when it suits it and condemn leaks when it doesn't.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/31/white-house-syria-orchestrated-spin
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