Neocons Down, Not Out

[DeeDeeNY]

Neocons Down, Not Out

By Robert Parry
December 6, 2007

Since the neoconservatives began to emerge as a political force in the mid-to-late 1970s, they have followed a consistent strategy of targeting the information flows inside the United States, paying particular attention to controlling the nation’s intelligence analysts and purging independent thinking from the U.S. news media.

Those were the two key switching points that allowed the neocons to push out favorable information and suppress contrary facts to shape how Americans perceived reality. Thus, the neocons could guide the public on issues such as the severity of the Soviet threat in the late Cold War or the WMD danger from Iraq and Iran this decade.

That neoconservative strategy reached its zenith after the 9/11 attacks as the U.S. intelligence community and the Washington press corps caved under intense political pressure. Essentially, President George W. Bush and the neocons got to manipulate reality itself – and they used that power to scare the heck out of the American people.

. . .

Though Bush and the neocons again find themselves on the defensive, the political battle is far from over. The neocons retain extraordinary strength within the U.S. news media as well as in the leading Washington think tanks and inside many of the presidential campaigns.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/120507.html

[bonito]

1. Says it like it is

From the link also.
Neither a new Republican administration nor a second Clinton presidency would likely seek accountability for the crimes and other misdeeds of the Bush years. Hillary Clinton likely would follow the forgiving pattern of her husband.

When Bill Clinton took office in 1993, he appointed neoconservative Democrat James Woolsey to head the CIA. Then, in a gesture of bipartisanship, the new President pulled the plug on ongoing investigations of Reagan-Bush-era wrongdoing regarding secret arms deals with Iran and Iraq.

By turning out the lights on that history, President Clinton apparently felt he would gain some reciprocity from the Republicans. But Clinton’s actions only emboldened the Republicans and gave the neocons time to regroup.

[tibbiit]

2. We will be very disapointed no matter which dem wins in 2008

that is my sad prediction.
The neo-con nuts need to be destroyed not patted on the wrist.
they deserve to be destroyed for what they have done.
Our next president will say they aregoing to heal the country instead of destroy the human demons.
thats the way it goes always.
I hate to say it, but im getting prepared for extreme disapointment .
tib

[DeeDeeNY]

3. That is my worry too

But I'm trying to be optimistic.