To: i-node who wrote (721097 ) 6/13/2013 8:09:57 PM From: Alighieri Read Replies (1) | Respond to It is worth remembering that Perle supported the Iraq War, and when it went south, he needed to blame someone. And he did. This is cherry-picking if ever there was such a thing. *Bush believes his own spin (better known as [...]) and demonstrates a remarkable lack of inquisitiveness. *Bush favored propaganda over honesty in selling the war. Cheney steered war policy behind the scenes, leaving no fingerprints. *Bush and his team repeatedly shaded the truth, manipulated public opinion, and sold the Iraq situation in such a way that the use of force appeared to be the only feasible option. *Contradictory evidence was ignored or discarded, caveats or qualifications to arguments were downplayed or dropped, and a dubious al-Qaida connection to Iraq was played up. *The Bush administration didn't check their political maneuverings in at the door after the win - instead, they maintained a permanent campaign mode, run largely by Rove. *Presidential initiatives from health care programs to foreign invasions were regularly devised, named, timed and launched with one eye (or both eyes) on the electoral calendar. *Operating in the campaign mode means never explaining, never apologizing, never retreating. Unfortunately, that strategy also means never reflecting, never reconsidering, never compromising. *Bush is out of touch, operates in a political bubble, and stubbornly refuses to admit mistakes. *The press is partially responsible for giving Bush soft questions and enabling the president.
