Bill Keller's New York Times column (3/19/12) begins with what might be a bit of self-deprecation: "When you've been wrong about something as important as war, as I have…."
You might take that as a cue to stop reading right there. But Keller's point is that people should think long and hard about signing on to the latest calls for war. He writes:
Sometimes our leaders start with the answers and work backward, fixing the facts to the policy, as the head of Britain's MI6 said of the Potemkin intelligence used to sell the invasion of Iraq.
As the link (in the original online text) indicates, that's a reference to the famous Downing Street memos–the notes on a 2002 British government meeting about the U.S drive for war with Iraq, where British officials discuss the U.S. government's apparent desire to invade Iraq with whatever pretext they figured might work. The memos surfaced in 2005, only to be shrugged off by establishment outlets like the New York Times–which told readers (6/14/05) that "the documents are not quite so shocking. Three years ago, the near-unanimous conventional wisdom in Washington held that Mr. Bush was determined to topple Saddam Hussein by any means necessary." The top editor at the Times in 2005, of course, was Bill Keller.
Keller introduced that reference to the Downing Street memos by telling readers that "asking the right questions only works if you are prepared to hear answers you might not like." The examples he gives are of politicians–but the reaction to the Downing Street memos by media outlets like the Times, who first ignored and then downplayed the revelations as nothing new, seem like a much more pertinent example of being unprepared to hear unwanted answers.
About Peter Hart
Appalling! Millions of deaths, destruction of a nation, ruination of millions of lives, displacement of millions of refugees, poisoning of the environment and poisoning of the global economy that may have ramifications for the rest of the century – and these simpletons engage in armchair reflections waxing philosophical about being "wrong about something as important as war".
Do the world a favor – fall on your f'ing sword asshole!
I'll take it as an apology. It's the most we're going to get.
They also destroyed the Iraqi agricultural system. Most people aren´t aware of that. Iraq was once almost completely food self sufficient, now wheat is no longer grown where it first originated, the land has reverted to salt flats, and the country relies on imports of GM foods from the US and Australia. The Iraq war was very much a victory for Monsanto. People that farmed for thousands of years are now malnourished and searching for non-existant jobs in city slums.
[...] Bill Keller Remembers the Downing Street Memos (Sort Of) | FAIR Blog Keller introduced that reference to the Downing Street memos by telling readers that "asking the right questions only works if you are prepared to hear answers you might not like." The examples he gives are of politicians”“but the reaction to the Downing Street memos by media outlets like the Times , who first ignored and then downplayed the revelations as nothing new, seem like a much more pertinent example of being unprepared to hear unwantedÔš answers. As the link (in the original online text) indicates, that's a reference to the famous Downing Street memos”“the notes on a 2002 British government meeting about the U.S drive for war with Iraq, where British officials discuss the U.S. government's apparent desire to invade Iraq with whatever pretext they figured might work.Ôš The memos surfaced in 2005, only to be shrugged off by establishment outlets like the New York Times ”“which told readers (6/14/05)Ôš thatÔš "the documents are not quite so shocking. [...]
Is he going to apologize when the NYTimes continues to lull us into feeling that a war with Iran is absolutely necessary because we have to help the Israelis?
Our nation needs to learn to hold people accountable. Whoever generated the lies that convinced our elected officials to vote for war with Iraq should be held responsible for all the death and destruction and failures that have ensued. Unless we hold people publicly accountable for their behaviors we will continue to be mislead by those who govern us.
Timing is everything an such "apologies" do nothing for everyone. The lies, the bogus facts, the perversions used to get us an other countries into war to kill millions an destroy many more millions of lives won't be changed or aided. The graft an corruption involved in the NGO's greater importance in everything done in our military. Uncounted mercenaries too we rarely if ever here about in their numbers an what they do remain unknown or suspect. It is almost better he didn't give his "apology" in this case. Just crocodile tears over real spilt blood.
i don't believe a word coming from representatives of the american system of racism/white supremacy. occupy the new york times!
f**k tom keller and the new york slimes! the best use of the slimes is use as toilet paper!
You're right, Jill, but unfortunately our current President (and his pet Attorney General) decided that this was not in their best interests. I'll give the President the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn't prosecute Cheney/Bush et. al. because of the political shitstorm that would have ensued. He says we "needed to look forward, not backward" and so he was able to ignore the law (in fact, his Constitutional duty) that was quite explicit on what to do with the Mount Everest of evidence that clearly showed that the previous administration repeatedly broke the law. Agressive war is a really big crime, but somehow it got re-defined as a "policy debate."
I like Bill Keller. He often speaks clearly and truthfully on issues. Unfortunately, the other, more popular, op eders don't and they are more frequently read.
The lead up to the Iraq war was a abmoniation. Colin Powell's presentation at the UN a total Farce, but somehow managed to get us to war (although many members spoke out against it and his presentation). One voice is never enough and we, the people, never seem to learn. We'd rather watch the circus of Republican Candidates being goofy than address the foreign policy that is leading us down a very, very dark and dangerous path. I have to ask: Why should we be toadies for Israel? One could make a case that they are a terrorist country. What other country gets away with 60 years of oppression and land grabbing and saber rattling expecting the US to come to their aid when they bite off more than they should? We need to rethink our foreign policy.
But, hey, it's an election year. The fear of one of the clowns becoming president supercedes all else and, however unfortunate the current administrations decisions might be, I really, really, really am far more frightened of the trio of misogynistic war mongers who are on the Republican ticket.
Elizabeth….I have always felt your befuddlement at Obamas actions concerning war like actions by this country.You always took for granted the stupid notions concerning Republicans "militaristic" ambitions.You swallowed that swill hook ,line and sinker.When BAM came in you thought all that would change.Now you are completely disillusioned with him but still willing to grant that he must be better than all those war hawks on the right.There is a different force of motion at play here.When Obama came in he was BRIEFED.He realized everything he thought he knew was worthless.He got a world class view at the circling sharks.And instantly he left your "peace at any cost" corner.He instantly saw and understood Bushes calls.The hyperbole and spin was gone.The so called trials against Bush and his people forgotten.Because now he had to make the calls.He had the intel.Granted he is no commander and chief.He is a very tentative man.Seen as weak by many in the world.He will do what must be done if his information dictates it.So will Mitt.Lets hope those countries plotting and planning will take that into account.And pause
Michael: What color is the sky in your world?
Well it is not a sky of gloom and doom .It is ever positive and hopeful.You see i think Democratic mindset is 4 words."The science is closed".You say things like the criminal actions of the war in Iraq and actually believe it.You ignore the history as told by the leaders at the time.On both sides of the isle.The words of Bush are lies(of course).Saddams words are lies when he spoke on his deathbed of his actions .The only truth seems to come from 23 year old reporters who work for the onion, or Rolling stone .World leaders are to be discounted.UNLESS you can find one that rolls with your template. Retreat defeat and surrender may be the motto at the peace at any cost parade.Im simply not there.We on the right are filled with positive feelings about the future.So I guess in my world it is a rain storm we weathered.Sun is coming out.
Well it is not a sky of gloom and doom .It is ever positive and hopeful.You see i think Democratic mindset is 4 words."The science is closed".You say things like the criminal actions of the war in Iraq and actually believe it.You ignore the history as told by the leaders at the time.On both sides of the isle.The words of Bush are lies(of course).Saddams words are lies when he spoke on his deathbed of his actions .The only truth seems to come from 23 year old reporters who work for the onion, or Rolling stone .World leaders are to be discounted.UNLESS you can find one that rolls with your template. Retreat defeat and surrender may be the motto at the peace at any cost parade.Im simply not there.We on the right are filled with positive feelings about the future.So I guess in my world it is a rain storm we weathered.Sun is coming out.Bout time
The reality and logic behind decisions like this is non-public. Like it was in WWII, like it always is. Trying to get buy in from the public does not work, and yet many high up people believe the US should be active in the world. This means making mistakes and constantly hearing criticisms about war and the people who run wars.
I think it's good that Saddam Hussein is gone. I think it is good that there is an Arab Spring, and should it happen I think it would be good to see Iran's government gone. I suppose it would help Israel, but beside being the right thing to do, it helps the people who live there … if they manage to stay out of the direct actions of war – and most do.
World history is a "bitch" and it is the lucky, rich, lazy American people who do not really get what others in the world have to put up with and are unwilling to take the actions to fix it. This should be a progressive issue, or at least equally so in some balanced way.