Antiwar.com Blog

Dr. Rice apparently never read my “Collateral Damage” debut. Speaking before the National Association of Black Journalists:

National security adviser Condoleezza Rice likened Iraq’s halting steps toward self-government to black Americans’ struggle for civil rights, imploring black journalists Thursday to reject arguments that some people are incapable of democracy. […]

“[W]e must never, ever indulge in the condescending voices who allege that some people in Africa or in the Middle East are just not interested in freedom, they’re culturally just not ready for freedom or they just aren’t ready for freedom’s responsibilities.”

Uhh– who’s saying that? As I put the problem 5 months ago,

Since the U.S. insists on policies that galvanize Islamic fundamentalism, who do you think will be elected in a democratic Iraq, Jordan, or Saudi Arabia?

An article on the cinematic tastes of U.S. presidents turns up some interesting nuggets. Bill Clinton requested the shoot-out classic High Noon over 30 times while in the White House (because of its “strong-willed leader taking a situation of imminent danger into his hands – and winning”); George W. Bush’s “all-time favorite” is Saving Private Ryan. Dwight Eisenhower, supreme commander on D-Day, “refused to view war pictures.”

Great article from In These Times about the licentious relationships between PR firms and the government. Isn’t it interesting that the three pillars of journalism schools are public relations, reportage, and political communications?
[Link taken from lewrockwell.com]

Colonel David Hackworth, whose Army career started at age 15, calls Donald Rumsfeld an “asshole.” Not that we didn’t know as much already, but it’s nice to hear it from an expert.

If I didn’t see his goofy visage so damn often. Clifford May, of the mega-bogus Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, lets us in on a secret. There’s a small, backwards, theocratic state in the Middle East that funnels some of its massive U.S. aid back into American public relations efforts. It’s Saudi Arabia! (Oh, yeah, the stateless Palestinians do it, too!)

“It’s no secret that both the Saudis and the Palestinian Authority employ sophisticated American public relations consultants,” sez Cliff. Who are we to question a defender of democracy?

But let me get one thing straight: Frank Luntz is on the Saudi/Palestinian payroll?
(For the whole Luntz document, click here.)

David Kay isn’t that kind of doctor. The oft-maligned Scott Ritter must be laughing.