Study: False statements preceded war

[Echo In Light]

Study: False statements preceded war
Published on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - 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 said he could not comment on the study because he had not seen it.

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."

http://www.blacklistednews.com/view.asp?ID=5353

[BridgeTheGap]

1. Was there anyone left still doubting this?

I'm glad they did the study just to demonstrate how dishonest the lying bastards are, but only the die hard bush supporters still believe the nonsense they spewed. The blood is on their hands!

[Echo In Light]

2. Just that it was reported on our local news this morning was shocking

[rodeodance]

5. whow--good for you local news.

[Echo In Light]

7. Ha. My wife and I were making coffee, had the local on for weather reports when it came on

It's always refreshing to hear truth come from that idiot box...

[rodeodance]

11. We hear so very little about the war anymore that anything comes as a surprize.

[rodeodance]

6. also--its an AP story--should circulate well.

[rodeodance]

4. seems to be that 30-35% that still thinks so.

[Justice]

3. Headline should be: False statements produced war

[Bluebear]

8. IMPEACH

[paparush]

9. Torches. Pitchforks. Repeat.

[rodeodance]

10. Full study is here

"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/

[rodeodance]

12. REC

[tavalon]

13. God, how much money was spent on that little piece of "Duh"?