The Iraq War and the Power of Propaganda

From: The National Interest 

Paul Pillar

It is extraordinary that the makers of the Iraq War in the George W. Bush administration got so many people to go along with such an ill-conceived project of such a small number of zealous proponents (a “cabal,” in Lawrence Wilkerson's phrase). Being able to exploit the national anguish and anger over 9/11 was a critical ingredient, of course. But the success of the war-selling campaign was testimony to what a determined use of the opinion-molding capabilities of the government of the day, including the bully pulpit of the presidency, can accomplish. The dragging of even many Democrats and liberals into going along with the project was less a matter of instilling any specific mistaken belief than of instilling a mood and momentum. It was a matter of sending a war train hurtling down the track and daring anyone to get in the way.

The Week in Alternative News 10

Just a quick, weekly news update provided by Set You Free News, Activist Post, The Intel Hub and Greenewave TV. Feel free to check out these alternative media sites. You can find their news feeds along with many other innovative, anti-censorship, open source, independent media sites right here at The Promethean Post. We will continue to support all alternative media that provides a venue for articles, editorials, videos and analyses on issues, events and information largely censored or blacked out by the mainstream media. The majority of the sites we link to and support are completely independent and have achieved this with reader support and no agenda-driven corporate funding, advertising or political party affiliation. Think for yourself and stay informed.