This gives me hope for future wars and the use of state power. Access to the truth can dispel ignorance and propaganda.
On the weekend, these weren’t supposed to be the television images of Operation Iraqi Freedom: frightened U.S. prisoners-of-war being held in Iraq; a grainy still of slain American soldiers lying on a floor; reporters explaining friendly fire incidents like the downing of a British warplane; and the stark image of a 101st Airborne soldier on the ground, taken prisoner by his own troops after grenades were tossed into officers’ tents in Kuwait with deadly results.
The new team — Office of Global Communications — continues to work with Hughes, as well as key people in the White House, Pentagon, State Department and National Security Council. They work around-the-clock, stuffing each 24-hour news cycle, at home and abroad, with a message of the day, designed to fill every information void and ensure the people stay on that message.
“The idea is to present their view of what is happening, and make it the only view,” says William Lutz, a Rutgers University English professor and expert on “doublespeak.”
“They cloak it with authority … It is the Pope speaking …
“People think, `Hey, the government has more information than I do, their view must be more informed than mine.'”
Hughes, a longtime Bush confidante, has been brought back to Washington to advise Bush. But her $15,000 monthly fee is actually paid by the Republican National Committee.
“This is a grey area,” Charles Lewis, executive director of the Centre for Public Integrity, told the Washington Post.
But, in many cases the government may not be as informed. Decisions are often made by people with a disregard for history.