Bush Changes Context for War :: Is the Press Finally Wising Up?

[jefferson_dem]

This is nothing especially new to those of us "in the know." But the fact that Brown(nose)stein is reporting it says a little something - the press finally wises up to chimp's routine.


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President Bush has stressed his resolve while accusing Sen. John F. Kerry of sending "mixed messages" on the war in Iraq. He pounded that point on Monday in his latest sharp attack on Kerry, saying, "For three years, depending on the headlines, the poll numbers and political calculation, he has taken almost every conceivable position on Iraq."

Yet an analysis of Bush's statements on Iraq show that he also has sent differing, if not necessarily conflicting, signals on a key war-related question.

<SNIP>

Bush's shifts have come not on the decision to overthrow former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, but why that action was justified.

Both before and after the invasion, Bush built his case for war on basically the same set of elements. But the prominence placed on each element has clearly shifted.

Before the war, the major chord was security and terrorism. Bush continually warned that Hussein could provide weapons of mass destruction to terrorists.

As the evidence has accumulated that Iraq did not possess chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, Bush increasingly has argued that building democracy in Iraq would inspire democratic change across the region in a domino effect. That argument was part of, but secondary, in the administration's case before the invasion.

In effect, Bush has never wavered on the verdict about Iraq, but he has reordered the counts in his indictment.

<SNIP>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bushiraq19oct19.story

[flpoljunkie]

1. Great article from Brownstein. Pray the media herd will follow his lead!

[Atman]

2. It's a VERY small chink in the armor

I mean, come on...

"Before the war, the major chord was security and terrorism. Bush continually warned that Hussein could provide weapons of mass destruction to terrorists."

Bushed warned no such thing. Bush said Hussein was going to be sprouting mushroom clouds over US cities. Bush said Hussein had chemical, biological and "mass destruction" weapons, and an itchy trigger finger to boot. Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Powell, Condi, each said there was an imminent threat of an attack from Saddam Hussein's Iraq, and that we had no time to lose. NO TIME TO LOSE!

This reporter still soft-peddals the Bush party line and smooths down all the rough edges so no one in the administration gets hurt.

[endnote]

3. Wow, I knew that without being a LATimes reporter!