The Learning Curve of the Magnificently Obsessed

[babylonsister]

The Learning Curve of the Magnificently Obsessed
pm carpenter

snip//

No learning curve? Again, that depends on how one wishes to define things. If, by learning, Mr. Hersh means the American public's historical tendency to forget hard lessons taught in the wasted human and fiscal resources of "stupid wars," then he's exactly right. If, on the other hand, he's referring to the boys at the top -- the decision makers -- then I'd have to say they rank somewhere on the learning curve's genius level.

It took us nearly 30 years to justify another stupid war after Vietnam. Now the boys in charge are accomplishing a justification redux not 30 years after Iraq or 20, not 10 years or five, but simultaneously.

And they're doing it chiefly through well-placed, money-loaded surrogates, just as they accomplished their domestic political victories since 2000.

The latest is Freedom's Watch, which is looking to raise $200 million in propaganda booty by November, which "will be easy," said one founder. It "denie(s)," however, "the accusation that a White House front group." Its president, a former deputy assistant to POTUS, has been quite clear about this, saying, yes, "he speaks with , but ... they are careful not to discuss the activities of Freedom’s Watch."

The organization has already executed a Blitzkrieg television campaign, with "several of the group’s spots suggest(ing) that Iraq, rather than Al Qaeda, was behind the Sept. 11 attacks." It also successfully countered MoveOn.org''s "Betray Us" print ad as "an unexpected gift," literally and figuratively.

Now, Freedom's Watch has moved on itself -- to phase two -- buying space to label Iran's president "a terrorist." And it's busier still. "Next month, Freedom’s Watch will sponsor a private forum of 20 experts on radical Islam that is expected to make the case that Iran poses a direct threat to the security of the United States."

Boo, boo ... and boo!

No learning curve? Pshaw.

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R