animaux

Posted on Sun, Sep. 21, 2003

The public sees through White House spin on Iraq

By Trudy Rubin
Inquirer Columnist

It's all the media's fault.

That old refrain of "giving aid and comfort to the enemy" is resurfacing with
the Iraq war. Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld has chastised the media for not
telling the good news - "the story of success and accomplishment in Iraq"
carried on by the occupation.

I get similar complaints from readers who demand that I watch Fox News to learn
"the truth": that only 10 percent of Iraq is having problems. Never mind that
this percentage is pulled out of thin air. The assumption seems to be that if
the "bad news" would cease, Islamists and Iraqi guerrillas would throw in the
towel.

Would that this were true. But Islamists aren't inspired to kill by stories in
the New York Times or The Inquirer, nor would a good-news blitz stop them. As
for implying that news negativity undercuts home support for Bush's Iraq policy,
Rumsfeld has it wrong. Public support is being eroded not by the media but by
prevarications of the Bush team.

The President's poll numbers are declining because he didn't level with the
public about the aftermath of an Iraq war. The public is startled by his request
for $87 billion (in addition to more than $50 billion so far) because it was
never forewarned of such numbers.

A year ago, White House budget director Mitch Daniels excoriated Lawrence
Lindsay, Bush's economic adviser, for suggesting war with Iraq might eventually
cost $100 billion to $200 billion, and Lindsay was soon fired. Daniels said the
costs would be between $50 billion and $60 billion.

Bush economic adviser Glen Hubbard said the cost would be "very small." Deputy
Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Iraq could pay for its own reconstruction.
And on and on.

the period back further. But Bush officials insisted oil would quickly pay the
whole tab for rebuilding Iraq.

The White House wanted to promote only the good news - that the war would be
cheap and the aftermath easy. No wonder support is dropping as the truth becomes
known.

As for today's "good news," the administration is still trying to spin the
story. Yes, many occupation troops are doing good works, are painting schools
and refurbishing hospitals. But all these praiseworthy efforts won't determine
the success of the mission.

The future of Iraq depends on bigger issues, such as whether the occupation
authority can figure out how to provide Iraqis with security and jobs. Even as
the White House plays down these issues, senior Defense Department officials are
leaking reports that the biggest danger in coming months may be the growing
resentments of ordinary Iraqis. These resentments could feed the guerrilla war.

Needless to say, this doesn't match the rosy picture presented by Rumsfeld after
his recent whirlwind tour of Iraq.

The real good news is that the White House doesn't believe its own spin. On the
ground, occupation czar Paul Bremer has been pressing for billions to train
Iraqi security forces much faster and to create new jobs for Iraqis. White House
officials have finally woken up; they know the media reflect Iraqi reality more
accurately than their own flacks.

But the public won't support billions for Iraq if it feels it's being lied to.
Nor will the money go where it's needed most if the administration deludes
itself with happy talk.

The President may be getting the message that it's time to talk straight. On
Wednesday, he finally acknowledged there's "no evidence" Saddam Hussein was
connected with 9/11. Nearly 70 percent of Americans believe in that link because
of constant administration hints, the latest by Vice President Cheney last
Sunday.

No wonder the White House suffers from a mammoth credibility gap. Iraq will not
recover, nor U.S. policy succeed, if the administration continues to dissemble.

So, if hardworking reporters are willing to risk their lives in Iraq, and if
they goad the administration into telling the truth, more power to them. I say:
Bring 'em on.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact columnist Trudy Rubin at 215-854-5823 or trubin@phillynews.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

© 2003 Philadelphia Inquirer and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/special_packages/sunday_review/6819922.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

harry hope

From The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/21/03:
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/special_packages/sunday_review/6819922.htm

The public sees through White House spin on Iraq

By Trudy Rubin
Inquirer Columnist


It's all the media's fault.

That old refrain of "giving aid and comfort to the enemy" is
resurfacing with the Iraq war.

Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld has chastised the media for not
telling the good news - "the story of success and accomplishment in
Iraq" carried on by the occupation.

I get similar complaints from readers who demand that I watch Fox News
to learn "the truth": that only 10 percent of Iraq is having problems.

Never mind that this percentage is pulled out of thin air.

The assumption seems to be that if the "bad news" would cease,
Islamists and Iraqi guerrillas would throw in the towel.

Would that this were true.

But Islamists aren't inspired to kill by stories in the New York Times
or The Inquirer, nor would a good-news blitz stop them.

As for implying that news negativity undercuts home support for Bush's
Iraq policy, Rumsfeld has it wrong.

Public support is being eroded not by the media but by prevarications
of the Bush team.

The President's poll numbers are declining because he didn't level
with the public about the aftermath of an Iraq war.

The public is startled by his request for $87 billion (in addition to
more than $50 billion so far) because it was never forewarned of such
numbers.

A year ago, White House budget director Mitch Daniels excoriated
Lawrence Lindsay, Bush's economic adviser, for suggesting war with
Iraq might eventually cost $100 billion to $200 billion, and Lindsay
was soon fired.

Daniels said the costs would be between $50 billion and $60 billion.

Bush economic adviser Glen Hubbard said the cost would be "very
small."

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Iraq could pay for its
own reconstruction.

And on and on.

sabotage pushed the period back further.

But Bush officials insisted oil would quickly pay the whole tab for
rebuilding Iraq.

The White House wanted to promote only the good news - that the war
would be cheap and the aftermath easy.

No wonder support is dropping as the truth becomes known.

As for today's "good news," the administration is still trying to spin
the story.

Yes, many occupation troops are doing good works, are painting schools
and refurbishing hospitals.

But all these praiseworthy efforts won't determine the success of the
mission.

The future of Iraq depends on bigger issues, such as whether the
occupation authority can figure out how to provide Iraqis with
security and jobs.

Even as the White House plays down these issues, senior Defense
Department officials are leaking reports that the biggest danger in
coming months may be the growing resentments of ordinary Iraqis.

These resentments could feed the guerrilla war.

Needless to say, this doesn't match the rosy picture presented by
Rumsfeld after his recent whirlwind tour of Iraq.

The real good news is that the White House doesn't believe its own
spin.

On the ground, occupation czar Paul Bremer has been pressing for
billions to train Iraqi security forces much faster and to create new
jobs for Iraqis.

White House officials have finally woken up; they know the media
reflect Iraqi reality more accurately than their own flacks.

But the public won't support billions for Iraq if it feels it's being
lied to.

Nor will the money go where it's needed most if the administration
deludes itself with happy talk.

The President may be getting the message that it's time to talk
straight.

On Wednesday, he finally acknowledged there's "no evidence" Saddam
Hussein was connected with 9/11.

Nearly 70 percent of Americans believe in that link because of
constant administration hints, the latest by Vice President Cheney
last Sunday.

No wonder the White House suffers from a mammoth credibility gap.

Iraq will not recover, nor U.S. policy succeed, if the administration
continues to dissemble.

So, if hardworking reporters are willing to risk their lives in Iraq,
and if they goad the administration into telling the truth, more power
to them.

I say: Bring 'em on.

__________________________________________________ ___

American folks are now purty much awake. Daylight's casting an
unwelcome light on the ugly Bushies. Time for them to go.

Harry