General Discussion

hfojvt

(37,573 posts)

38. I think he is wrong to call it "obvious"

Mon May 18, 2015, 01:58 PM

May 2015

to millions of Americans, it was not obvious, and a good part of the promotion of the invasion seemed to come at least as much from members of the media as it did from the administration.

Even CBS news and Dan Rather. For months before the invasion, they opened their nightly newscast with a segment they called "countdown to war". One thing about countdowns, is that they are sort of inevitable 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 and off we go. So basically for months, telling the public that watched CBS "there is gonna be war with Iraq, it's only a matter of time".

Pretty clear to me that the powers that be in the media wanted this war, they knew it would be good for ratings.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

109 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Krugman: The Iraq invasion was worse than a mistake. It was a crime. [View all] seafan May 2015 OP

It is high time we had a frank discussion regarding the Iraq war and it's deleterious effects think May 2015 #1

Definitely.... daleanime May 2015 #5

OK. One effect that is seldom mentioned sarge43 May 2015 #20

Has the stolen treasure turned up? JDPriestly May 2015 #59

Certainly sarge43 May 2015 #61

'How the US sent $12bn in cash to Iraq. And watched it vanish' (from a foreign paper, of course) seafan May 2015 #73

looke how much time has been devoted to Benghazi Skittles May 2015 #68

Hillary billhicks76 May 2015 #76

Krugman is on a mission here. He's pissed, having devoted two whole columns CTyankee May 2015 #2

I think he is wrong to call it "obvious" hfojvt May 2015 #38

I think that Dan Rather was waylaid and lost his job because of his interview with Saddam JDPriestly May 2015 #60

True, and our elected leaders KNEW info was false even if citizens did not. TheNutcracker May 2015 #63

Gunga Dan shadowmayor May 2015 #81

Thanks. JDPriestly May 2015 #87

It is good to finally hear someone like Krugman, with millions of readers, bvar22 May 2015 #3

But it was just a joke, don't you get it? erronis May 2015 #14

Caused my blood to boil when I saw it. Bohunk68 May 2015 #95

“If the American people knew what we have done, they would string us up from the lamp posts.” -Geor Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #99

One Crime (Stolen Election) Set the Stage for So Many Others Demeter May 2015 #4

After 15 years, it still makes me physically ill. seafan May 2015 #9

Good look at the sordid story, thanks. ...nt dougolat May 2015 #30

+1000 heaven05 May 2015 #13

and how they had the Patriot Act ready to go in 48 hours MisterP May 2015 #16

The SCOTUS opened the door to autocratization. OnyxCollie May 2015 #28

Very interesting and supported by historical evidence. Thanks. JDPriestly May 2015 #41

Another FDR is unlikely too BlindTiresias May 2015 #98

When injustice gets really bad in the US, someone comes along, someone who is not expected. JDPriestly May 2015 #103

Bushes stopped the vote count and the UN inspections stuffmatters May 2015 #70

yep.... BlancheSplanchnik May 2015 #83

Also criminal was the way the "free" press negligently and willfully gave up it's constitutionally Fred Sanders May 2015 #6

Absolutely correct. nt Duval May 2015 #12

The "truth" ... staggerleem May 2015 #27

There were ways to get information... one being the foreign press. bvar22 May 2015 #45

+1 Enthusiast May 2015 #50

George Orwell : 'The further a society drifts from truth sulphurdunn May 2015 #7

+1 Enthusiast May 2015 #49

+2 TheNutcracker May 2015 #64

+3 harun May 2015 #90

I think the creation of ISIS was a PNAC'ers dream come true. polly7 May 2015 #8

ISIS sure is fucking Wolf Blitzer's and CNN's wet dream come true. American TV TerrorVision needs ISIS. Fred Sanders May 2015 #17

If ISIS didn't exist, bvar22 May 2015 #23

I get what you mean, but not really. Fear of Iran and N.K. and "Muslims" is pre-bottled, for example. Fred Sanders May 2015 #26

I don't think so. bvar22 May 2015 #48

I suspect they did invent it to a degree. Enthusiast May 2015 #47

Hell yes it was! lonestarnot May 2015 #10

K & R Iliyah May 2015 #11

Thank you Paul Krugman!! CRIME. johnnyreb May 2015 #15

Huge K&R deutsey May 2015 #18

**The fraudulence of the case for war was actually obvious even at the time** Martin Eden May 2015 #19

+1 nt Live and Learn May 2015 #24

I will NEVER forget David Gregory plaintively mewling in 2008, "Where was public opinion?" seafan May 2015 #72

The only candidate D or R currently running for president loooneranger May 2015 #21

Howzabout ... staggerleem May 2015 #25

"Us?" It is one of the major reasons that I do not support and will not vote for Hillary. JDPriestly May 2015 #65

that's why HRC is unfit for office.... mike_c May 2015 #86

I agree. Hillary is toxic for a number of reasons. loooneranger May 2015 #96

$$$$$$$$$$$$...nt freebrew May 2015 #100

In a part of Krugman's piece not quoted above ... staggerleem May 2015 #22

Well said, Dr. Professor Krugman. Octafish May 2015 #29

Ray McGovern picks apart the "Bad Intel" Defense on Iraq. LIES we were fed, so Bush could invade. seafan May 2015 #75

Letting them off with out Phlem May 2015 #31

excellent article. DCBob May 2015 #32

As 'W' Infamously Said swilton May 2015 #33

Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz all should be prosecuted for war crimes. yellowcanine May 2015 #34

it's a shame that the executive branch doesn't have a DEPARTMENT to administer JUSTICE Doctor_J May 2015 #35

+1 a whole bunch! Enthusiast May 2015 #44

The World is fortunate to have such good thinkers and writers as Dr. Krugman. nt ladjf May 2015 #36

The one in the middle needs to be sitting alongside his VP, Dick Cheney, in the dock Cleita May 2015 #37

+1 Enthusiast May 2015 #43

If there is a discussion, it will only be with ourselves Freelancer May 2015 #39

They have partaken of the koolaid. Enthusiast May 2015 #42

Yep Freelancer May 2015 #66

Kicked and recommended to the Max! Enthusiast May 2015 #40

At least Pres Obama could have done is to condemn the war that killed a million of innocent rhett o rick May 2015 #85

I have the same feeling on the PTB. Shut up or die and your little dog too. Enthusiast May 2015 #88

Yes, Yes, a million times Yes!! Stevepol May 2015 #46

All three are war criminals malaise May 2015 #51

And, many politicians are lining up to make the Good German defense. "We didn't know." Tierra_y_Libertad May 2015 #52

Calling it a mistake really depends on what the actual mission JonLP24 May 2015 #53

Please note that the pipelines have remained intact throughout wartimes since 1915 or so. DhhD May 2015 #102

TRUTH TO POWER grasswire May 2015 #54

Krugman is spot on with his statement bobjacksonk2832 May 2015 #55

It isn't a crime until someone gets indicted for it. And who will order that? Obama? Hillary? Jeb? leveymg May 2015 #56

Nice pic. hifiguy May 2015 #57

Thing is, they have to have KNOWN there were no WMD. rogerashton May 2015 #58

Now, Rubio is running on 'A New American Century'....dropping the 'project' word TheNutcracker May 2015 #62

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Skittles May 2015 #67

This message was self-deleted by its author Freelancer May 2015 #69

In the face of so many lies, being duped is understandable. Stevepol May 2015 #91

Throw them in prison for a long, long time. KansDem May 2015 #71

Kick and R. BeanMusical May 2015 #74

I certainly think anyone who voted for that turd Warren DeMontague May 2015 #77

Prof. Krugman has some great remarks Gothmog May 2015 #78

High time for a war crimes tribunal Stargazer09 May 2015 #79

The Iraq invasion was worse than a mistake. It was a crime Caretha May 2015 #80

Iraq is a crime accompanied with economic forces polynomial May 2015 #82

K&R for the original post and subsequent informative posts and links. JEB May 2015 #84

Yes, and millions of us knew it. It's simply not plausible that those who voted for this war ... Scuba May 2015 #89

At that time, I used to listen to WAMC, the Bohunk68 May 2015 #97

K and R (nt) bigwillq May 2015 #92

Bush came into office planning to go to war in Iraq. Vattel May 2015 #93

It's Happening Again. Get Ready yellowwoodII May 2015 #94

Firing squad IHateTheGOP May 2015 #101

Somehthing Always Glossed Over DallasNE May 2015 #104

Great grandfather and grandfather could be included in the picture LiberalLovinLug May 2015 #105

I have a lot of reading to do through asiliveandbreathe May 2015 #106

Thanks for everyone's great contributions to this thread. Remember Gandhi. seafan May 2015 #107

Falsifying intelligence to start a war is a war crime under International Law. 1Greensix May 2015 #108

The Republicans want wars to be "a policy choice". Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #109