Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Find An Enemy And Go Kick Some Ass!!
As usual, Dan Froomkin of the Washington Post says something I've been thinking a lot about recently more succinctly and more eloquently than I ever could:
And while the shift to war language may not consciously register with a lot of Americans, the right wing propaganda machine sure has gotten the message:
TURN THE HEADLINES TO IRAN
The New York Post today ran a full page and a half spread on the preznit's speech at GWU yesterday, focusing on Iran's alleged role in providing IED parts for Iraqi insurgents. I won't link to Murdoch on principle, but trust me, the story sounded like somebody at the White House wrote it.
The Washington Times ran an article today claiming Iran may be trying to buy uranium from Venezuela. Gee, this story reminds me of someth- oh, yeah!!! Saddam was trying to buy uranium from Niger!!! I remember now, that was the story the Bush administration told us and the media dutifully reported. Only it wasn't true.
But who cares about truth - this is about creating a p.r. campaign to stoke fears in America and ring the drum for war with Iran.
IRAN IS THE ENEMY!!!
And as you can see from the wingnut headlines this morning, the p.r. campaign is well funded and well under way.
President Bush always does better against an enemy. His strongest public support has come when demonizing Osama bin Laden (not hard), Saddam Hussein (a bit harder) -- and then John Kerry (his finest achievement).
But as the morass in Iraq seems to worsen day by day, identifying the enemy there has become increasingly difficult. Is it Sunnis? Shiites? Foreign terrorists? The insurgency? Saddamists? Independent militias? Is it us?
Yesterday brought two strong signs that even as Bush is trying -- and failing -- to placate the public about Iraq, he's increasingly keen to focus attention on a new villain: Iran.
...
A Bush who appears embattled, defensive and quite possibly overwhelmed inevitably leads to lower and lower public approval ratings.
But White House aides are abundantly aware that there's something about the image of a fearless American president boldly kicking butt that seems to fill the public with an enthusiasm that transcends even the issue of whose butt it may be.
And while the shift to war language may not consciously register with a lot of Americans, the right wing propaganda machine sure has gotten the message:
TURN THE HEADLINES TO IRAN
The New York Post today ran a full page and a half spread on the preznit's speech at GWU yesterday, focusing on Iran's alleged role in providing IED parts for Iraqi insurgents. I won't link to Murdoch on principle, but trust me, the story sounded like somebody at the White House wrote it.
The Washington Times ran an article today claiming Iran may be trying to buy uranium from Venezuela. Gee, this story reminds me of someth- oh, yeah!!! Saddam was trying to buy uranium from Niger!!! I remember now, that was the story the Bush administration told us and the media dutifully reported. Only it wasn't true.
But who cares about truth - this is about creating a p.r. campaign to stoke fears in America and ring the drum for war with Iran.
IRAN IS THE ENEMY!!!
And as you can see from the wingnut headlines this morning, the p.r. campaign is well funded and well under way.
