Iraq

New Bills Challenge President Bush's Troop "Surge"

by Conor Kenny — January 12, 2007 - 6:15pm
  • Topics: Iraq, U.S. Congress, U.S. Government

    • In a nationally televised address Wednesday night, President Bush announced a new plan to send 21,500 more American troops into Iraq to help settle the country’s increasing violence, particularly in the capital city of Baghdad. While Bush expressed confidence in his plan, most Americans did not appear to follow. A CNN poll taken after the speech found that 66% opposed this “surge” in troop levels, while only 32% supported it.

    Gleaming Jewels of Stupidity

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 7, 2007 - 11:11pm
  • Topics: Right Wing, Iraq, Politics

    • One of the things I like about writing books is the chance to read other peoples' reactions after they're written. After John Stauber and I wrote our latest book, The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies and the Mess in Iraq, we posted an accompanying video on YouTube. The video has now been viewed more than 200,000 times, and people of various ideological persuasions have added their comments.

    In the last few days, the video page has seen a running debate between other YouTubians and a supporter of the war who identifies himself as a 35-year-old U.S. Army Captain. I find the debate interesting as an illustration of how desperately the war's supporters continue to recycle obvious falsehoods and long-discredited lies from the Bush administration.

    Lieberman, Bush and the Generals: The PR campaign around the troop "surge" in Iraq

    by Conor Kenny — January 3, 2007 - 2:19pm
  • Topics: Iraq, U.S. Congress, Public Relations, Rhetoric

    • President Bush is expected to make an announcement soon about his plan for Iraq, but a PR war has been raging for several weeks to prepare the ground for a "surge" in troop levels for Baghdad and Iraq. Bush and surrogates Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen.

    Counting Casualties

    by Sheldon Rampton — December 28, 2006 - 2:43pm

    Middle East studies professor Juan Cole has posted a transcript of the recent hearing by Congressmen Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul on civilian casualties in Iraq.

    Main Source: 
    Informed Comment weblog, December 13, 2006

    Will Bush Take the Hint?

    by Sheldon Rampton — December 27, 2006 - 12:29am

    "Public opinion experts say Americans are sending President George W. Bush a clear message as he considers his options in Iraq: Bring the troops home," reports Ron Hutcheson. "Polling experts say the overall sentiment is clear. A majority of Americans think the war was a mistake, don't think it will make America safer and don't think the United States will win. Large majorities want to see the troops come home by early 2008." Bush, however, seems bent on sending up to 30,000 more troops into Iraq.

    Main Source: 
    Detroit Free Press, December 26, 2006

    The First Casualty

    by Paul Rouse — November 30, 2006 - 7:55am
  • Topics: Journalism, Iraq, Public Relations

    • The fate of Terry Lloyd has made headline news. But what of the reporter killed by Al-Qaeda who may have been an unwitting accomplice in the countdown to war in Iraq? Paul Rouse investigates.

    People who knew him always joked that Paul Moran would be late for his own funeral.

    Neocontrarians

    by Sheldon Rampton — November 23, 2006 - 12:32am

    Neoconservative war hawk Ken Adelman has gone public with an attack on the Bush administration's handling of Iraq, saying that "the President is ultimately responsible" for what Adelman now calls a "debacle." The Washington Post notes that criticisms now coming from neocons such as Adelman and Richard Perle are the "most striking" examples of trend

    Main Source: 
    Washington Post, November 20, 2006

    The Media's Iraq Offensive

    by Sheldon Rampton — November 18, 2006 - 12:27pm

    "The American media establishment has launched a major offensive against the option of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq," writes Norman Solomon. As an example, he cites a recent New York Times story by Michael Gordon which claims that many of "the most vehement critics of the Bush administration’s Iraq policies" believe withdrawal would be irresponsible.

    Main Source: 
    TomPaine.com, November 16, 2006
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