The Iraq War: How the Media Helped Sell It to the Public
It has been two decades since the start of the Iraq War, and it is worth examining how the media in the United States and the United Kingdom played a role in selling the war to the public. In the lead-up to the invasion, the administration of President George W. Bush and its supporters worked tirelessly to push the narrative that Iraq and its leader, Saddam Hussein, posed an immediate and significant threat to the US and the world.
Unfortunately, most of the media in both countries uncritically repeated dubious claims about weapons of mass destruction and possible links to al-Qaeda. These claims were later thoroughly debunked in the months and years that followed. So, how complicit was the media in selling the Iraq War to the public? And have they learned any lessons from their past failures?
In an UpFront Special, Marc Lamont Hill discusses these questions with Katrina Vanden Heuvel, publisher and editorial director of The Nation magazine; Norman Solomon, founder and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy; and Peter Oborne, former chief political commentator for the Daily Telegraph.
The Role of the Media in Selling the Iraq War
According to Vanden Heuvel, the media played a significant role in selling the Iraq War to the public. She argues that there was a failure of journalism at that time, with many journalists failing to ask tough questions or challenge the government’s claims. Instead, they acted as stenographers for those in power.
Solomon agrees, stating that there was a “systematic failure” of the media to do their job properly. He argues that journalists should have been more skeptical of the government’s claims and should have done more investigative reporting to uncover the truth.
Oborne also believes that the media played a crucial role in selling the Iraq War to the public. He argues that there was a “groupthink” mentality among journalists at that time, with many of them believing that Saddam Hussein was a threat that needed to be dealt with. As a result, they failed to ask critical questions or challenge the government’s claims.
The Lessons Learned from Past Failures
So, have the media learned any lessons from their past failures? According to Vanden Heuvel, there has been some improvement in recent years, with more journalists asking tough questions and challenging those in power. However, she believes that there is still a long way to go, and that many journalists are still too cozy with those in power.
Solomon agrees, stating that there is still a lack of diversity in newsrooms, which can lead to groupthink and a failure to challenge those in power. He argues that newsrooms need to be more diverse and inclusive if they want to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
Oborne also believes that there has been some improvement in recent years, but he is skeptical about whether the media has truly learned its lesson. He argues that there is still a tendency among journalists to be too deferential to those in power, and that this needs to change if we want a truly independent media.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that the media played a significant role in selling the Iraq War to the public. Many journalists failed to ask tough questions or challenge the government’s claims, leading to a disastrous war that cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars.
While there has been some improvement in recent years, there is still much work to be done if we want a truly independent media that holds those in power accountable. Newsrooms need to be more diverse and inclusive, and journalists need to be more skeptical of those in power if we want to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.