- It is a sad business when the main thing one can say
about one's own government is that it is engaged in an operation to mislead
the American people. Such, however, is the case with the Bush administration.
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- For some hidden reason, the Bush administration is determined
to wage war on Iraq. To convince the American people that this is necessary,
it has launched a campaign of disinformation designed to show Iraq as an
imminent and dangerous threat to the United States. Virtually everything
the president and his minions have said about Iraq is distorted to make
it appear other than what it is.
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- Repeated citing of the fact that Saddam Hussein used
chemical weapons against the Kurds is an example. This happened in the
late 1980s. This happened during a war with Iran in which the Iranians
were also using chemical weapons. This happened when the Kurds had sided
with the Iranians. This happened when the United States was providing covert
aid to Saddam Hussein. This happened at a time when the United States deliberately
chose not to criticize it or make it an issue. And, in almost 15 years
since, it has not happened again.
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- The fact that Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator was
known at the time the United States re-established diplomatic relations
with him and chose to provide him with covert aid in his war against Iran.
Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld were part of the administration that aided
Saddam.
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- It is repeatedly said that he is a threat to his neighbors,
though his neighbors deny it and are urging the United States to avoid
launching a war. The fact is that Saddam Hussein has been in power for
nearly 30 years, and during that time he has launched two attacks. He attacked
Iran, and we supported him in that attack. He attacked Kuwait, and we went
to war. In the course of that war, he launched missiles against Israel
and against U.S. forces in the Gulf states. Since 1991, after putting down
rebellions we encouraged and then failed to support, he has not attacked
any country. In 1993, he was accused of an attempt to assassinate the elder
George Bush during a visit to Kuwait. Since that incident, nine years ago,
he has not been implicated in any act of terrorism.
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- Displaying aerial photographs of factories that have
been rebuilt does not prove anything. Claiming that he is "suspected"
of producing weapons of mass destruction does not prove that he is. Claiming
that he has not fulfilled any of the United Nations' resolutions is false.
Claiming that he is hostile might have something to do with the fact that
in the first Bush and subsequent Clinton administrations, it was said publicly
that even if Iraq met the U.N. obligations, the terrible sanctions would
not be lifted until Saddam Hussein was overthrown. That is hardly a way
to encourage cooperation.
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- Recently, the president mentioned that Iraq has developed
unmanned aircraft and acted as if this was new information. There were
stories in London newspapers about these aircraft in 1998. It is not new
information. The president's claim that these aircraft could be used against
the United States is as absurd as his claim that Iraq's possession of one
nuclear weapon would allow it to blackmail the world.
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- What has been most depressing about this disinformation
campaign is the stupidity it has revealed - the stupidity of politicians
and the stupidity of members of the media, none of whom seems either informed
or able to think logically. It is irresponsible of the American news media
to fail to report public statements by Israelis that punch holes in the
disinformation campaign. One Israeli general has said that the threat of
Iraq is greatly exaggerated. Another Israeli source says Iraq has no missiles
in a position to reach Israel. Another Israeli leak indicated Bush decided
to go to war a month or more ago, even as he continues to deny he has made
that decision. Saddam Hussein is a bad man, but it is also a bad government
that lies to its own people.
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- © 2002 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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- http://reese.king-online.com/Reese_20021018/index.php
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