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 It was another bad week in Iraq. While
bodies were piling up in the Baghdad morgue and the militia
fighting steadily intensified, the Bush administration was hit
with a rash of PR scandals that are bound to erode public
support for the war. The worst of these is the National
Intelligence Estimate (NIE) which was leaked to the New York
Times and which stated that “the American invasion and
occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic
radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since
the 9-11 attacks.”
The NIE carries great weight because it represents the unanimous
judgment of all 16 of the American intelligence agencies. The
document’s findings cast doubt on the central tenet of the war
on terror, that is, that terror originates from a radical
ideology (Islamo-fascism) which fosters an irrational hatred for
modernity, western-style democracy, and personal freedom. The
NIE proves that the Bush-Blair theory of terror is hopelessly
flawed and that violent jihad is actually fueled by occupation
and injustice. Terrorism is a reaction to foreign policy. It has
nothing to do with “hating our freedoms”. The NIE confirms this
simple truism.
The long-term effects of the report are impossible to calculate.
The Bush agenda is predicated on the “Big Lie”, that we are
under attack and that “We must fight them there, if we don’t
want to fight them here.” The administration has manipulated the
“perception of a threat” to justify its endless “preemptive”
wars, curtailed civil liberties and enhanced powers of the
executive. The NIE shows that the war on terror is a sham that
only generates more violent extremism.
The administration will now have to counter the report’s
conclusions if it wants to revive support for the war on terror
and continue its ongoing consolidation of power. We should
anticipate another Karl Rove public relations campaign to
reengage the public and perpetuate the global onslaught.
More Dismal News
The results from a number of polls appeared in last week’s news.
In a University of Maryland survey the Program on International
Policy Attitudes (PIPA) found that “71% of Iraqis want the US
troops to leave within a year”. The poll also found that nearly
4 out of 5 Iraqis believe that the US military is “provoking
more conflict than it is preventing” and that “60% of Iraqis
approve of attacks on US-led forces.” The survey shows that
popular support for the occupation has continued to dwindle
while hostility towards the American presence is growing beyond
all expectation.
In still another poll (Harris poll) showed that only 20% of
Americans are “still confidant that US policies in Iraq will be
successful”. Public support for the war is plummeting despite
the enthusiastic efforts of the media and the political
establishment.
Ironically, a “leak” from the Pentagon revealed that the Lincoln
Group (which was the focus of an earlier investigation for
planting “pro-occupation” stories in Iraqi newspapers) was just
awarded another $6 million contract. According to the Kansas
City Star, “The Washington-based group won a two year contract
to monitor a number of English and Arabic media outlets and
produce public relations products such as talking points or
speeches for US forces in Iraq”.
The administration continues to (cynically) believe that their
well-paid propagandists can prevail in the “hearts and minds”
campaign by creating patriotic sound bytes and poignant
anecdotes about devoted soldiers performing their duties. What’s
needed, however, is a dramatic change of policy. The country is
increasingly disillusioned with Iraq and is looking for signs of
progress or a firm date for withdrawal. Rumsfeld’s scribes at
the Lincoln Group will have no luck trying to rekindle the
confidence they have already squandered. All of the prime
indicators are now pointed in the opposite direction and a full
63% of the American people now feel that the war was a
“mistake”.
Managing Perceptions of the ongoing War
In a fascinating article by Eric Boehlert, “The Press downplays
Iraq during the Campaign Season. Again” the author shows how the
media either “covers” or “doesn’t cover” the war depending on
how close we are to the elections:
“Fact: In the 10 weeks prior to Election Day in 2004, the war in
Iraq was the most reported story on the weekly news programs
just twice, according to the media research of Andrew Tyndall.
But immediately following Bush’s reelection, the war in Iraq
instantly became the most covered story on the nightly news
programs—for 7 weeks in a row.”
Boehlert also shows how the media has steadily reduced its
coverage of the war to maintain the rapidly diminishing support:
“In 2003 ABC, NBC, and CBS nightly newscasts, on average,
devoted 388 minutes each month to covering Iraq…By 2005, that
monthly tally had decreased by more than 50%---to 166 minutes
each month. Today, unless there is a dramatic late-September
surge in coverage, the Big Three nightly newscasts will end up
the month having devoted a total of 40 minutes to Iraq, or less
than 15% of their airtime.”
15% less than 2003! And, Iraq continues to be the main issue on
people’s minds going into the election season.
These figures tell the “hidden” story of Iraq. They expose how
the mainstream media intentionally reduces its coverage to
maintain support for the war. The figures fail to show, however,
the omissions and diversions that the media provides on an
hourly basis. The American people are prevented from seeing
flag-draped coffins, disgruntled GIs, or the vast devastation
caused by military occupation. Televised coverage is carefully
limited to fashion a misleading narrative of sectarian warfare,
which suggests that the main problem is “Iraqi killing Iraqi”.
The real problem is US occupation, a fact that is unavoidably
evident in every survey conducted in Iraq.
When we consider relentless maneuverings of the media, it is
gratifying to see that Americans are finally beginning to
recognize the truth behind the imagery. Fortunately, there are
limits to the effectiveness of propaganda regardless of how
adroitly it is employed.
Stretched to the Brink
In other news of the week, the Congressional Research Service
announced that the “total cost of military operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan and enhanced security at military bases since
September 11, 2001, could reach $549 billion this year. The
White House Office of Management and Budget estimated that the
war will cost $110 billion for fiscal year 2007” (McClatchy
Newspapers)
More than a half trillion dollars in 3 years.
Iraq is devouring resources at an unprecedented pace and
producing nothing in return. There’s no more “happy talk” from
officials in the Bush administration about how “Iraq will pay
for itself” through oil revenues as Paul Wolfowitz foolishly
stated prior to the invasion. Iraq has become a black-hole
swallowing up boatloads of cash that otherwise would have been
earmarked for education, health care, infrastructure and
security. The war is bankrupting the nation while grooming the
next generation’s terrorists. This is the very definition of
failure.
The Iraqi mission is not only over-budget but overextended. The
cracks and fissures in the military are quickly becoming gaping
holes. The Army and Marines are trying to find creative ways to
put more boots on the ground, but their only option is to
increase deployments to the theatre. Some of the troops are
presently on their 4th tour of duty and it is likely that even
more of the National Guard will be called up, leaving the
country vulnerable to terrorist attack or natural disaster.
The Washington Times reports that “The increased demand for
troops comes at a time when military analysts say it is stressed
to the breaking point….Non-deployed combat brigades are
experiencing low-readiness ratings due mostly to lack of usable
weapons and equipment. The wear and tear in Iraq is ruining M1A1
tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, Humvees and other equipment at
such a fast pace that the Army has neither the money nor the
industrial base to replace them.”
The military is in a shambles and headed for a calamity.
America’s enemies should be thrilled that Don Rumsfeld is still
overseeing all operations in Iraq. His incompetence is only
matched by his astonishing inability to learn from his mistakes.
It’s plain that America will not prevail with Rumsfeld in
command.
Overextended, over-budget and mismanaged. The war in Iraq is
foundering and the war on terror has been exposed as a fraud.
(the NIE report)
How much worse can it get?
There is no good news from Iraq. It’s all bad. The magnitude of
America’s defeat is becoming clearer and clearer with each
passing day. Rumsfeld’s cheery propaganda campaign has fallen on
hard times and will have no effect on the wars’ final outcome.
The problem is the policy; it is untenable and will require a
thorough overhaul.
We should expect to see dramatic changes following the
elections. The Iraq Survey Group, steered by committee-chair and
Bush family friend James Baker, will release their findings
right after the November balloting. Judging by their guarded
comments, big changes are ahead. Perhaps, the troops will move
to the perimeter and let the Iraqis kill each other in a
full-blown civil war.
Whatever transpires, the first phase of the Iraqi fiasco is
nearly over. The Bush administration will be compelled to
protect its interests while limiting the exposure of its troops.
They may choose to minimize their activities to bombing raids
and counter-insurgency operations, further destroying the
threadbare fabric of Iraqi society.
Security is not important. Lives are not important. Only oil and
the people it enriches are important.
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