|
"The Big Lie"
Posted on Thu, Aug. 30, 2007
Continuing 'The Big Lie'
There have been four new TV political ads airing for a little
more than
a week across the U.S. that use wounded veterans or relatives of slain
soldiers to explain what a tragedy it would be for Congress "for
political reasons" to withdraw from the war in Iraq.
These
are part of a $15 million, privately supported effort by a group of
powerful Republicans who have strong ties to President Bush. It is the
latest effort to shore up crumbling support in Congress for a war that
has fallen out of favor with more than 70 percent of Americans.
These
30-second spots are being broadcast in 20 selected states and in more
than five dozen congressional districts, preceding the report Gen.
David Petraeus is to give to Congress concerning the success or failure
of the U.S. surge effort in Iraq.
The campaign is spearheaded by Freedoms Watch, (online, Freedoms
Watch.com)
whose spokesman, according to The New York Times, is Ari Fleischer,
former press secretary to President Bush and a member of the group's
board.
Fleischer told The Times particular states were targeted
because "Anyone who is considering switching their vote is somebody we
care about."
And McClatchy newspapers reported that Freedoms
Watch president, Bradley A. Blakeman, is a former senior assistant to
President Bush. He says the mission "is to get out the message that
surrender is not an option in Iraq - to stiffen the back of Congress to
do the right thing and not to switch votes for political reasons."
Lucky
us, Georgia is one of the states that the President's Men feel members
of Congress need that extra spinal support to keep the war humming.
While
one might disagree with the sentiment in the ads because they are
deceptive in the way they are presented, everyone has a right to lobby
for political causes, even bad ones. It would be nice, however, if the
campaign were based on truth.
That's not the case here. These ads
are disingenuous; three of the four TV spots are based on a
continuation of The Big Lie, that there really is a
connection between Iraq and the Sept. 11 attack by Islamic terrorists.
Well I'm sorry, but that just isn't so, and anybody capable of
walking and chewing gum at the same time should know this by now.
There
is absolutely no evidence that Saddam Hussein, a genuinely nasty piece
of work, played any role in 9/11. When America unleashed its "shock and
awe" attack on Iraq, it didn't target the Saudi Arabians who co-opted
our jetliners and used them as flying bombs.
The U.S. went to war
with Iraq supposedly to unseat Saddam because Mr. Bush and Congress
mistakenly thought Iraq had those infamous Weapons of Mass Destruction
and was a threat to the United States.
But here's the storyline
of the first ad broadcast; the others follow the general tone. A
injured veteran, in a home-like setting, says:
"Congress was
right to vote to fight terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. I re-enlisted
after 9/11 because I don't want my sons to see what I saw.
"I want to be free and safe. I know what I have lost.
"I also know that if we pull out now everything that I've
given up and sacrificed will mean nothing.
"They attacked us, and they will again. They won't stop with
Iraq.
"We are winning on the ground, and we are making real
progress. It's no time to quit.
"It's no time for politics."
The ad shows the twin towers of the world trade center with
smoke billowing from gaping holes where the airliners hit.
A later ad has a mother of a veteran who tell us that "we've
already had one 9/11, we don't need another one."
These
ads are slick - and sick. They make their point through deception while
twisting reality. Incidentally, the phone number the ads give to call
your congressional representative - 1-877-222-8001 - isn't Congress.
It's a number at Freedoms Watch, and they are only looking for messages
of support.
To call Congress direct, to give whatever message you
might wish, the Senate's number is (202) 225-3121 and the House is
(202) 225-3121.
Phil Dodson can be reached at 744-4239 or at pdodson@macontel.com.
|
