Study: False Statements Preceded War

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 did not comment on the merits of the study Tuesday night but reiterated the administration's position that the world community viewed Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat.

"The actions taken in 2003 were based on the collective judgment of intelligence agencies around the world," Stanzel said.

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."

Named in the study along with Bush were top officials of the administration during the period studied: Vice President Dick Cheney, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan.

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Bush led with 259 false statements, 231 about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 28 about Iraq's links to al-Qaida, the study found. That was second only to Powell's 244 false statements about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 10 about Iraq and al-Qaida.

The center said the study was based on a database created with public statements over the two years beginning on Sept. 11, 2001, and information from more than 25 government reports, books, articles, speeches and interviews.

"The cumulative effect of these false statements -- amplified by thousands of news stories and broadcasts -- was massive, with the media coverage creating an almost impenetrable din for several critical months in the run-up to war," the study concluded.

"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.

Read the full report.

Comments

[transendentilist]

This really isn't news. Frank Rich wrote about this in his book The Greatest Story Ever Sold.

[ArjenBoatsma]

The 935 lies are about Iraq only.....

[ProfessorDuh]

Marjorie Cohn: Nine out of 23 Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee favor starting impeachment hearings against Vice-President Dick Cheney. Six of the nine are co-sponsors of H.R. 799, which contains three articles of impeachment.
Articles I and II of H.R. 799 accuse Cheney of purposely manipulating intelligence to deceive Congress and the American people about a fabricated threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda, respectively. Article III charges Cheney with openly threatening aggression against Iran absent any real threat to the United States. All three articles say Cheney's actions have damaged our national security interests.
Three of the nine Judiciary Committee Democrats who advocate launching impeachment hearings against Cheney, Reps. Robert Wexler (D., Fla.), Luis Gutierrez (D., Ill.) and Tammy Baldwin (D., Wis.), co-authored an op-ed that appeared on December 27 in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

[dotmafia]

Bush believed the intelligence community when it conveniently suited his corporate energy masters intentions toward Iraq, but suddenly reverses course and ignores the intel agencies when it does not.

Obviously, members of Cheney's staff manufactured and doctored the CIA's original CORRECT estimations about Iraq's lack of WMD evidence in 2002, knowing full well that they would later blame the U.S. intel agencies for their "blunder". Either way, whether illegal or not, Cheney and Bush would get their war.

Who put the false intel about "Curveball's" allegations BACK INTO the President's 2002 State of the Union, after the CIA told them to remove it? Likely someone from Cheney's staff, on his orders of course.

Now the intel agencies are seeking revenge for being played the patsy by Bush/Cheney with their recent NIE on Iran. They have fewer options to justify war other than: A) Manufacturing a "false flag" attack. If there was a "terrorist attack" on American soil, so-called evidence would quickly point to Hezzbollah involvement; or B) Allowing Israel to attack first, and retaliating when Iran strikes back.

I truly believe this last year of the Bush "administration" will be the most dangerous for America and the world. As the election of a Democrat nears, Bush/Cheney will behave increasingly more like rats with their back against the wall. They've nothing to lose, everything to gain, and are willing to take a gamble. In short, they're showing the same erratic behavior patterns which distinguished Adolph Hitler's thinking. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

If Israel doesn't attack Iran first, then I am sincerely worried that Bush/Cheney will manufacture an attack on American soil, possibly a small-yield nuclear weapon in a city already degraded, like New Orleans. Or a biological attack. They'll blame it on members of Hezzbollah, and soon after, Iran and the Revolutionary Guard. Bush will declare martial law in America, cancel the elections in November, enact his "presidential directive" making him Dictator. America will strike against Iran using low-yield nuclear weapons, drawing the immediate ire of Russia or China.

You know what happens next.
_

[osage]

PELOSI SHOULD BE IMPEACHED FOR FAILING IN HER RESPONSIBILITY TO IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY!

[americanwhocares]

Unfortunately it is not really “new” that Bush and every “loyal Bushie” lied to lead American into war with Iraq and destroy the environment and the economy. They all are pathetic excuses for human beings and their day of justice prevailing will come, either in this life or in the next. The sad part is that any American believes anything this liar says. All other citizens of the world are flabbergasted that America has put up with this moron who stole two elections. I used to love to travel overseas, but I do not do that anymore, they hate Americans. Here is the real tragedy: Bush pretends to be a “Christian with family values” but nothing could be farther from the truth.

[dotmafia]

From 9/11 onward... my friends, my family and I could all see through the lies and propaganda spewing from Bush and the rest of his "administration". I knew from the day I first heard it, that none of it was true and that they were just capitalizing on the emotions Americans felt after 9/11.

So...

Why is it that so many Americans fell for it?

The only reason I can come up with is -- ultrapatriotism. Blind belief without question. And the fact that the U.S. mass media failed to do their jobs properly and objectively.
_

[RTIII]

ALL I can say is, DUH!

Anyone paying attention to the situation who didn't know this AT THE TIME is a flipping idiot. ... Or, to be more charitable; they weren't REALLY paying attention, now were they?

To talk about this 7 years later as if it's news is just laughable. However, I AM glad for this to finally be put in print for the idiot class.

[CFAmick]

I don't know why a study was needed. We were all there when it happened.

[rusu92]

Once upon a time, in 1999, when Dubya stole the election..­.

[NotaBeliever]

Impeachment. Impeachment, impeachment, impeachment. The only answer, but there are not enough Republicans to stand up and do the right thing ... and ohmygodinheaven, the Dem leadership won't even make them stand up on one side or the other. We are screwed. Counting down the days, but screwed regardless.
I know I'm not a christian ... I be atheist ... but I tell the truth, generally. The Bush administration wouldn't know the truth if it bit 'em on the ass.
Preachin' to the choir, I am. Crap.

[hershel62964]

Give Bush and buddies the same justice that they gave Saddam HANG THE BASTARDS.

[freespeach]

The number of lies is proof of a concerted group effort to lead our nation to invade Iraq. This has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dead innocent civilians, 3000+ dead US soldiers, while torture, rape, malnutrition and disease continue right this minute.

Impeachment is still off the table thanks to a vile traitor named Pelosi.

But fascist Nancy does more than protect Bush......

"House Democrats will postpone votes on criminal contempt citations against White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, while congressional leaders work with President Bush on a bipartisan stimulus package to fend off an economic downturn, according to party leaders and leadership aides.

Senior Democrats have decided that holding a controversial vote on the contempt citations, which have already been approved by the House Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, would “step on their message” of bipartisan unity in the midst of the stimulus package talks.....­.Brendan Daly, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)­, said “no decision has been made” as to when a criminal contempt vote would be held by the House.
The Judiciary Committee approved contempt citations against Bolten and Miers on July 25, but Pelosi has yet to bring the measures to the floor.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/8057.html

Fascist Nancy is also protecting Republican sexual predator Mark Foley.....

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Investigators_want_Pelosi_to_hand_over_0109.html

Pelosi does all of this with the approval and advice of the DLC and Democratic party leadership.

The only Democrat (Kucinich) working for us, the American people, has been silenced by his own party.

Fascism.

[vale409]

Really? Na ah? huh, you think you know an administration :-{

[JackSlappyNotYourPappy]

.

To those of my friends who think that starting impeachment proceedings would somehow energize a mythological "don't impeach" bush/cheney voting block I say this ...

Imagine how it would energize the 70% of Dems who give this (so called do nothing) congress failing grades!

And really ... what message does do nothing send?

Where is the higher ground in that ...

.