Big Think Guests on Iraq

Is the media responsible for the war in Iraq? NOIs the US government responsible for the war in Iraq? YESIs the media responsible for the war continuing in Iraq? Definitely The US government started the war at a time when questioning the government was considered treason because of the post 9-11 patriotism. And the media will always try to say what the most people will support from its viewers. The media couldn’t have stopped the war from happening, the American people had to do that, but to this day the media refuses to put a human face on the war, or show what the US government has truly caused in the world. Unfortunately it’s not like a movie where the media go to any length to get the truth. In reality they go to any length to get you to watch them instead of the other channels.

 

Is the media responsible for the war in Iraq? This question, as it's phrased, is meaningless. A better question: If the media in the United States and Britain had dug deeper, asked more probing questions prior to the Iraq war could the war have been prevented. Let's assume for argument sake that the press did an excellent job of uncovering the facts, i.e. that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, and was not collaborating with Al Quida therefore did not pose a risk to national security for either the USA, Europe, or it's immediate neighbors including Israel. For the Iraq war to have been prevented by the press it would, by necessity, have required people/citizens to believe the news media over their government. When Saddam postured that Iraq did have weapons of mass destruction in the face of UN sanctions and non-compliance with UN resolutions 424 everything was in place for commencing the Iraq war. Too many people believed the bluff including the international intelligence community. This is the consequence of having your bluff called when nearly everyone thinks you're not bluffing.

Much discussion has rightly focused on the complacent coverage by most of the national media at the start of the Iraq War, but I would like to know if anybody knows of any editorial boards, etc. that openly announced their opposition to it? If so, they should be commended for their bravery in the face of such a nationalistic frenzy. Perceived threats have caused so many nations to persecute domestic dissenters in recent history; maybe this time humanity will finally learn the importance of free expression regardless of the situation? I doubt it. But if anybody knows of major American media orgs. that openly opposed the war, please recognize them by posting their names below!