Manipulated by power: What is wrong with the New York Times?

[marmar]

from Salon:



Manipulated by power: What is wrong with the New York Times?
The government is manipulating facts. There's no credible evidence on Syria. Why is the Times pretending otherwise?

BY PATRICK L. SMITH


The conflict between democracy at home and empire abroad has beset this nation since the Spanish-American War, a brief interlude of imperial display in the spring of 1898. Empire did not win merely the day: It won the century, the one America named after itself.

Anyone who doubts the thesis can consider it at intimate range as the Obama administration prepares to send missiles into Syria. What we witness in Washington now is no more or less than a scratchy rerun. We must be thankful there is still any such conflict between democrats and those given to imperial reach, however feebly the fight gets fought. It is better than nothing — if marginally, under the circumstances.

President Obama’s announcement last weekend that he would submit his decision to attack Syrian military installations to Congress has been called numerous things. It was surprising. (We have an imperial presidency. Why ask for congressional assent?) It was politically daring. (What if Congress says no?) It was the democratic thing. (“We act better when we are unified,” as Secretary of State Kerry has put it often this week.)

Can something be quaint and frightening at the same time? The thought tempts. The incessant murmurs of patriotism in Washington this week will comfort a few foolish hearts, but they are part of what makes the current scene in our capital disturbing. Cast Obama’s plans for Syria in history and you see how America the ever-changing nation does not change. We have a government manipulating facts. We have hypocrisy of motive: Humanitarian compassion is not the issue; the issues are vanity and the projection of power. We have perniciously misbehaving media, the clerks of the political class at this point (if ever they were other). ........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.salon.com/2013/09/06/manipulated_by_power_what_is_wrong_with_the_new_york_times/

[jsr]

1. Remember NYT is where William Kristol and Judith Miller whipped up their bullshit for Iraq

[delrem]

2. 100% of the MSM, in the USA and Canada, is embedded.

Embedded, if I might characterize them so, by the same "pundits", "reporters on the (green screen) scene".

The problem isn't even close to being particular to the NYT.

When the military embedded these fucking parasites it brushed aside the best of the best - and it gave no quarter. These were parasites with a purpose. They make up the MSM.

[Paladin]

3. Maureen Dowd is back to referring to the President as "Barry" this morning.

The NYT could boost its reputation several notches by getting rid of her.

[Downwinder]

4. REMEMBER THE MAINE

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0CE3DF1139E433A25750C0A9629C94699ED7CF







Better Late Than Never?: Rickover Clears Spain of the Maine Explosion
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5470