Does Rupert Murdoch have a say-so over Iraq War policy?

[JABBS]

Just follow the logic here:

<snip>

How quickly things change. As the New York Times noted: "Just two months ago, administration officials were saying that they believed the findings by the panel ... <strong>would be all but written in stone</strong> — and that Mr. Bush would have little choice but to carry out most of them. But in recent weeks, the White House sought to describe the panel’s role as that of one advisory group among many."

What's changed since then? Well, for one, fringe conservatives seemed to agree with the New York Post that the ISG were "Surrender Monkeys."

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Murdoch decides what goes on Faux News

He can easily manipulate the Regime by threatening to turn the staunch pro-Bush mouthpiece into attack mode if he doesn't get what he wants. Therefore, whatever Murdoch wants, in Iraq and elsewhere, he gets. Q.E.D.

[JABBS]

2. that would be direct. i'm thinking indirect

The cover gave conservatives a talking point, and the neocons within the administration liked it privately, and pushed Bush to stand up for "victory" in Iraq (which Bush said the day after ISG issued its report) and not "surrender."