Public starts to get a fix on 'fixing' intelligence (Boston Globe)

[struggle4progress]

By Dick Polman

Inquirer Political Analyst


Shortly after his November triumph, President Bush declared that voters had endorsed his prosecution of the war in Iraq. In his words, "We had an accountability moment, and that's called the 2004 elections."

But today, with U.S. casualties rising and military recruitment falling, it is clear that Bush's accountability moment has been extended. Even though he won't run for office again, voters continue to assess the signature decision of his presidency; in growing numbers, they are voicing dissatisfaction.

And amid all this unease - for the first time, a majority of Americans say that the war launched in March 2003 has not made this nation safer - a growing grassroots movement is spotlighting a once-secret British government memorandum, written in the summer of 2002, that depicts Bush as having already decided to wage war, even though the case against Saddam Hussein was "thin."

Americans are probably more conversant about Angelina Jolie than about the contents of the so-called Downing Street memo, which was leaked in London seven weeks ago to the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sunday Times. But if the war chaos continues (80 U.S. troops and 700 Iraqis died last month), the awareness gap may narrow - because the memo states that as Washington was preparing for war, "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy." <snip>

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/11872791.htm

Nice little teardown of the Rs denial strategy ...

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Isn't it just sweet to see more and more of these editorials?

I think the dam is about to break.

[aquart]

2. You can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Didn't a Republican say that?

[Demeter]

4. NO! It Was A Unitarian--P.T.Barnum

of circus fame. I think he specialized in freak exhibits.

[aquart]

9. Barnum?

It's considered by some to be an anonymous quote, usually attributed to Lincoln.

HOWEVER, I would be seriously careful of attributing anything to Barnum. Many of his best lines were really from Mike McDonald, Chicago's gambling boss.

[ixion]

3. the stupid MSM needs to stop calling this document a 'memo'. It is NOT

that. It is the minutes of a meeting, the facts of which are NOT disputed by the British gov't.


Frankly, the tone of this editorial is still (way) thick-headed, IMO.

Do you see how it's passively trying to quell curiosity about the issue, even as it speaks of growing interest?

"a once-secret British government memorandum, written in the summer of 2002, that depicts Bush as having already decided to wage war, even though the case against Saddam Hussein was "thin."


See that? First they use the 'official' word 'memorandum', which is entirely incorrect. Then it uses the word 'depicts' to imply (biased) characterization, not a fact. Then (incredulously) it states the 'case' against Hussein (affirmation in the positive...what case? there is no case.) as being 'thin' (again, affirmation in the positive. It's easier to rationalize if something is 'thin' rather than 'bogus').

As far as I'm concerned, people who write this garbage are just as culpable, just as GUILTY, of war crimes as BushCo, because they continue to rationalize their actions through subtle language manipulation. :grr:

[indepat]

5. The Downing Street memo is just the tip of a monstrously large iceberg

upon which the ship of state flounders.

[splat@14]

6. Great op-ed. Love seeing them trickle in. To the contrary,

don't ya hate 30 day old "news"!

[jbfam4]

7. Check the roasting pan

This pig is done. Stick the apple in his mouth and lets have a luau.

[ailsagirl]

8. The term "fix" in England means to alter or modify, not repair

I have read some American articles that bring into question the word "fix"

Since it was in an English memo, I am assuming (and it makes more sense, contextually) that it means the facts were altered.