Study: False Statements Preceded War

By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL – 17 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations
found that President Bush and top administration officials issued
hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from
Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The study concluded that the statements "were part of an orchestrated
campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process,
led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses."

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public
Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel did not comment on the merits of the
study Tuesday night but reiterated the administration's position that
the world community viewed Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat.

"The actions taken in 2003 were based on the collective judgment of
intelligence agencies around the world," Stanzel said.

The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year period. It found
that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and
administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions
that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or
obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.

"It is now beyond dispute that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass
destruction or have meaningful ties to al-Qaida," according to Charles
Lewis and Mark Reading-Smith of the Fund for Independence in Journalism
staff members, writing an overview of the study. "In short, the Bush
administration led the nation to war on the basis of erroneous
information that it methodically propagated and that culminated in
military action against Iraq on March 19, 2003."

Named in the study along with Bush were top officials of the
administration during the period studied: Vice President Dick Cheney,
national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul
Wolfowitz and White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer and Scott
McClellan.

Bush led with 259 false statements, 231 about weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq and 28 about Iraq's links to al-Qaida, the study
found. That was second only to Powell's 244 false statements about
weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 10 about Iraq and al-Qaida.

The center said the study was based on a database created with public
statements over the two years beginning on Sept. 11, 2001, and
information from more than 25 government reports, books, articles,
speeches and interviews.

"The cumulative effect of these false statements — amplified by
thousands of news stories and broadcasts — was massive, with the media
coverage creating an almost impenetrable din for several critical months
in the run-up to war," the study concluded.

"Some journalists — indeed, even some entire news organizations — have
since acknowledged that their coverage during those prewar months was
far too deferential and uncritical. These mea culpas notwithstanding,
much of the wall-to-wall media coverage provided additional,
'independent' validation of the Bush administration's false statements
about Iraq," it said.
On the Net:

* Center For Public Integrity:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/default.aspx
* Fund For Independence in Journalism: http://www.tfij.org/

Air America sucks!

wrote:

Air America sucks!


I'm sure you spend your time listening to Air America. When, in between
listening to Rush and Sean wishing they could ravage Coultergeist?

wrote:

Air America sucks!

I have never listened to it, but I hear it is not doing well as far as
market share.

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:11:04 -0500, hk wrote:


The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public
Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

Follow the money.

http://www.soros.org/about

Son of a gun - how about that - he funds both!!

On Jan 23, 4:36*pm, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:11:04 -0500, hk wrote:

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public
Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

Follow the money.

http://www.soros.org/about

Son of a gun - how about that - he funds both!!


Son of a gun...

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:31:55 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
"Reggie is Here wrote:

wrote:

Air America sucks!

I have never listened to it, but I hear it is not doing well as far as
market share.

It's not doing anything at any time anywhere.

Except for screwing a Boys and Girls Club out of $500K that is.

Even their theoritical "listener" base can't stand 'em.

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:38:00 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

On Jan 23, 4:36*pm, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:11:04 -0500, hk wrote:

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public
Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

Follow the money.

http://www.soros.org/about

Son of a gun - how about that - he funds both!!

Son of a gun...

Amazing ain't it?

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:11:04 -0500, hk wrote:

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public
Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

Follow the money.

http://www.soros.org/about

Son of a gun - how about that - he funds both!!



Wow...you shot the messenger!

On Jan 23, 4:42*pm, hk wrote:
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:11:04 -0500, hk wrote:

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public
Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

Follow the money.

http://www.soros.org/about

Son of a gun - how about that - he funds both!!

Wow...you shot the messenger!

Deserves it..