Face The Nation: Bob Schieffer Reminds America There's Still A War In Iraq
By Nicole Belle Saturday Mar 15, 2008 12:00pm
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In his closing commentary, host Bob Schieffer reminds us that too many people are busying themselves with celebrity news and political horse races and not enough with the very serious subject of our endless occupation in Iraq.
A new Pew Foundation poll found that more than 1/3 of the American people are closely following this campaign. I’m not surprised, this campaign in creating interest in a way that we haven’t seen in years. But here is what really bother’s me. Twice as many people, 12%, had more interest in the death of movie actor Heath Ledger, than were following developments in Iraq. Only 6% said they were closely following the war news. Only 28% knew the death toll in the war has risen to nearly 4,000. There are reasons. The elections and the shaky economy and the fact the war zone is quieter now has pushed the war off TV and front pages, and for many it has become ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ With an all-volunteer military made up of only ½ of 1% of us making the sacrifices in this war, it’s easy for the rest of us to forget the war still goes on.
Certainly there have been few reminders from the campaign trail. John McCain says it is still winnable, but he hasn’t said what “winning it” will take. The Democrats haven’t said much beyond we have to withdraw at some point. As long as Iraq is relatively quiet, the candidates would rather not talk about it, it puts people in a bad humor.
But it is still there and we can’t ignore it forever. It won’t let us.
The problem, as I see it, is that Schieffer is chiding the wrong people. People can only consume the news being fed to them. I blogged about an experiment done by AP last year where people congratulated and thanked AP for not covering Paris Hilton. Now if the media would just remember that so they can replace all the shiny celebrity news with more meaningful coverage.
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The party of Debt, Death and Destruction bracing for more losses at the ballat box
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/15/AR200803...
http://www.sickofitday.org/
Stealing money from the non voting and unborn for a war to rape and kill people who think differently from us, Oh yeah the rumor of war, I did hear about once or twice. How is that going, weren't we suppose to stand down when the Iraqs could fight for themself.
"People can only consume the news being fed to them."
I disagree entirely. I believe part of the problem is that far too many people simply consume news through osmosis. Whatever happens to be placed in front of them is what they choose to absorb. Research, on the other hand, requires a certain amount of commitment and effort. We need to stop giving excuses for intellectual laziness.
As long as any group or individual, justly or unjustly, feels they have been wronged, there will be terrorism. Bush may as well launch a war on illicit sex.
The trouble with commercial media is this: it doesn't exist to inform it's consumers, it exists to sell tires and boner pills.
Well ol' Neocon Agent Bob Schieffer's on today eh?
MSNBC Video of the school Obama attended in Indonesia with interviews from his former classmates there, good story.
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&brand=&vid=a27003c7-40bd-40ff-...
DearEditor @ 6:
LOL you got it.
L.A. Confidential @ 7:
Please stop.
All of the "News" in the U.S. Homeland is filtered through the Associated Press, whether it is my College "News" Paper, my local city "News" Paper, the three local "News" networks, or CNN, MSNBC, or Fox. I talked to the editor of my college paper last week after they ignored the deaths of 13 U.S. Troops and hundreds of Iraqis. She said they didn't have enough room! The systematic underreporting of the violence in the Genocide in Iraq is a war crime. Smart bombs are just as deadly as Homicide Bombs. The dark cloud of cognitive dissonance hangs heavy over the U.S. homeland. That's war, they say. This isn't a "war" What happened to the hunt for Osama Bin Laden? Oh! What happened to the hunt for the U.S. Military Grade anthrax terrorist? Oh After no UBL in Afghanistan, and no WMD in Iraq we were told we were fighting for "freedom". What about Darfur, Burma, Tibet, Palestine. Oh! Our own Freedom has been decimated. Our moral authority decimated. The treasury looted. The army broken. A nation of cowards.
Saturday: 1 US Soldier, 20 Iraqis Killed, 55 Wounded
Updated at 8:41 p.m. EDT, Mar. 15, 2008
At least 20 Iraqis were killed and 55 more were wounded in the latest violence. One American soldier was killed today in Baghdad during a small arms attack. Also, clashing and other attacks continue in and around the city of Kut where the Mahdi Army and security forces have battled since Tuesday. This is the first significant violation of a unilateral ceasefire Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr imposed on his followers. In Baghdad, a bomb in Wathiq Square killed one person and wounded eight more. Two bodies were found. In Kut, a new mortar attack wounded six people. Also, five were killed and 15 were wounded during renewed clashing at separate locations. As many as 70 people were arrested following clashes between Mahdi Army members and security forces this week. West of the city, gunmen attacked a patrol, killing one policeman and injuring eight others. Two people were killed and nine more were wounded when a grenade was thrown at a minibus in al-Hay yesterday. One person was playing with the grenade when it exploded. Over two dozen mortars landed near the U.S. consulate near Hilla. One Iraqi woman was killed and eight more were wounded. Gunmen wearing army uniforms stormed a home in Iskandariya, where they killed a man and kidnapped two of his relatives. A body was found in Numaniya. Four vehicles were damaged during clashes between gunmen and security forces in Basra. No casualties were reported. U.S. soldiers killed two suspects near Samarra. One of the casualties in yesterday's bombing in Rubiaa has died. In Fallujah, 53 detainees were released after no evidence against them could be found. A roadside bomb wounded five policemen in Kirkuk. In Mosul, a car bomb explosion wounded three civilians. A civilian was gunned down near Baquba in the village of Huwayder. In al-Amin, gunmen destroyed a man's home. A roadside bomb in Balad Ruz wounded two people. Three people were injured during shelling in al-Salam. Three dumped bodies were found across Diyala province.
anything without meaning..is just well, meaningless
L.A. Confidential @ 9:
it exists to sell tires and boner pills.
In fact thats the only reason the Republican Party or whatever the hell they are has ever existed.
We have a product to solve all of lifes pains and problems!
Meat @ 4:
right on point in my opinion
odanny @ 10:
Stop what?
Shouldn't this be too MANY???
Some days, it sure would be nice if blogs could afford editors and proof readers.
L.A. Confidential @ 15:
Do you really need to ask?
Try commenting on what Schieffer said in his closing to "Face The Nation", its entirely relevant and explains why the dumbing down of America is by design.
His commentary was not what most neocons peddle on morning talk shows
"With an all-volunteer military made up of only ½ of 1% of us making the sacrifices in this war, it’s easy for the rest of us to forget the war still goes on."
That may well be, but the rest of America will be a affected by the resultant return of men who have seen the underside of war. They have had to see the horrors of people being killed and of having to do the killing. Hundreds of thousands of men will be coming home with their minds bent and by what they have witnessed. Like in Vietnam, many will be dropouts of society, druggies, many will be wife beaters and self abusers. No person goes through war and comes out unscathed.
So, American society will be the loser here. For fighting this war that didn't need to be fought, we, the American public will be hurt. Our reputation has been ruined by this stupid war and this idiotic administration.
The winners? Why they are the people that Ike Eisenhower warned us about, the profiteers, the Military Industrial Complex.
They win.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 19:
So true.
Well Bobby let me remind you of something Pilgrim. Bill Gates believes consumers worldwide would live better if a sea of music, movies, video games and television shows were piped into their earphones, laptops, cell phones, cars and living rooms.
So let's see - more "music" (what, hip-hop?), more bad movies, and more TV (beyond "bad"). All beta wave stuff Bob. Note that "reading" was not included on the list. So why is it any wonder at all that we are entrenched in Iraq, submitting a 100 billion war budget, 7 years into Bush and wallowing in debt?
Exerpted from another blogger somewhere recently:
Did you know? that 47 countries' have reestablished their embassies? in Iraq? ?
Did you? know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi? people ?
Did you? know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under? rehabilitation, 263 new schools are now under construction and 38 new? schools have been completed in Iraq? ?
Did you? know that Iraq 's higher educational? structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and? 4 research centers, all currently? operating?
Did you? know that 25 Iraq? students departed for the United State s in January 2005 for the? re-established Fulbright program ?
Did you know? that the Iraqi Navy is operational ? They have 5 - 100-foot patrol? craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry? regiment.
Did you? know that Iraq 's Air Force consists of? three operational squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3? US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control)? which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters? and 4 Bell Jet Rangers ?
Did you know? that Iraq has a counter-terrorist? unit and a Commando Battalion?
Did you? know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and? equipped police officers?
Did you? know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq? that produce over 3500 new officers each 8? weeks?
Did you? know there are more than 1100 building projects going on? in Iraq ? They include 364? schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22? oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.
Did you? know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the ?first 2 series of polio vaccinations?
Did you? know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by? mid October?
Did you? know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in? Iraq and phone use has gone? up 158% ?
Did you? know that Iraq has an independent media? that consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television? stations?
Did you? know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of? 2004?
Did you? know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently? OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW! WHY DIDN'T WE? KNOW? YOUR NEWS MEDIA REFUSES TO TELL US!
Took 6 years. I could have done it in 4.
All this new language says it all. (Homeland, Patriot Act etc.) This is the language of people bent on dominating. I hate all that kind of talk, it says if you don't like the patriot act, then your not a patriot. Same goes for the term homeland.
[Deleted-Sitemonitor]
scruzman @ 22:
Did you know NONE of the profits of the Iraqi oil is going toward those actions, it is America paying for that. The Oil money is being stolen.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 25:
Well ... DID You?
odanny @ 18:
It's not that Americans are stupid it is they lack the ability to concentrate. When people are carpet bombed with constant disinformation, visual stimulation what have you they lose the ability to focus on anything for any extended period of time.
THAT is our problem. Along with the fact human beings get bored easily.
Bush and crew (McCain, included) have clearly stated that they think the American public lost the war in Vietnam and they obviously have taken care to do things to keep the public pacified this time around. We've been kept more insulated from the cost of the war, from stories (with photos) of the casualties to the $10 billion per month price tag that is being paid for... how? When?
Bangkok Bob:
Answer my questions first, then I'll answer yours.
Bobn @ 28:
If the Nixon Crew knew back then what they know now we'd still be in Vietnam. Or occupying it.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 19:
Seems that these days those expected "dropouts of society" have enrolled in thier local police academy.. Patrol the streets
scruzman @ 29:
I knew some of what you wrote, but not all. Fact is it has no meaning. We have had our country ruined by debt from this war both monetary and in deed. Our Constitution has been raped in the name of this war. Our Rule of Law has been stripped by this war and this administration. Our Military is being ruined by it also as is our society being divided by the makers of this war. The world was safer before this war was made out of the LIES of the bush administration.
So yeah, I knew something, but no matter, this war can't be defended.
"In his closing commentary, host Bob Schieffer reminds us that too
fewmany people are busying themselves with celebrity news and political horse races and not enough with the very serious subject of our endless occupation in Iraq."Right, Nicole?
But yes, it's sad.
It's always the consumer of the news that is at fault. They can only be aware of what is being broadcast. If they don't see it or hear it on the news is it news? Fox news producer in "Orwell Rolls In His Grave." Google it.
I guess most people stopped thinking about the war when Chimpy stood on the deck of that air craft carrier and declared victory.
"Mission accomplished!" Yeah, right.
Gosh, most of the American people couldn't FIND Iraq on a map. Many simply can't admit they made a mistake flag-waving their way into an unwinable war. All that "did you know" stuff is just immaterial crap: we have poured our money and blood into a situation that is not bearable or in the national interest. You lose a war by not being able to win anything of value. Americans are not willing to admit the war is lost and nothing good will come out of our (mis)adventure there. Most folks don't know what to do next so it's easier to focus on Paris and Britney or some other living or dead actor/celebrity. Iraq? Who's gonna win American Idol? If we don't pay attention, it's so much easier to stoke up the next "stab in the back" excuse rather to admit we were not paying close enough attention and we voted in the worst president ever. We are about to do it again. Perhaps you should at least TRY to find Iran on a map before we barge into that as well. Morons.
Ron @ 34:
thanks for the link, I'm watching in another window.
L.A. Confidential @ 30:
Indeed, evidenced by what we are now seeing in Iraq. Many of Bush's crew are the old Nixon crew.
Bobn @ 38:
They sure are. And not many people notice.
Charlieboy @ 36:
Charlie, I think that person left.
Remember when Bush's first choice to "investigate" 9-11 was Henry Kissinger?
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 32:
Thanks. The answer to your question is yes. Be patient.
"Today Americans would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful. This is especially true if they were told there was an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will plead with world leaders to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well being granted to them by their world government."
-- Henry Kissinger speaking at Evian, France, May 21, 1992 Bilderburgers meeting. Unbeknownst to Kissinger, his speech was taped by a Swiss delegate to the meeting.
I mean people come on already these are the guys we want in charge of our future?
This man is an idiot.
L.A. Confidential @ 39:
In the late sixties there was a group of people nick-named "The Washington Crazies". Ultra conservative, behind the scenes people in the Nixon White House. Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeldt were just two of them.
L.A. Confidential @ 43:
http://tinyurl.com/2qwmja
CheneyIsADick @ 45:
Yip here they are in all their glory
http://tinyurl.com/2loeg2
scruzman @ 42:
Go read some more of the rightwing blog.
And then there is the obscene "policy" of not allowing caskets to be photographed, and the media's meek and inexcusable acquiescence to this and virtually all other forms of censorship. If the media agree in advance not to cover the story, you can't very well expect people who rely on you to follow it.
Deighved H Stern MD @ 49:
Among other things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cheneysnotes.jpg
we all need to remember that the corporate news / and the corporations that own them are invested on creating the illusion that iraq is going just fine .. surge is working ..keeping the reality of iraq off the airwaves so as to benefit their corporate boy mccain in their desire to have him installed as the next president so that they desire for a government / social system that is by and for the few can be sustained .. greed is what counts .. and cbs is doing exactly that as the rest of the corporate news is .. scheiffer needs to point the finger at himself and those that employ him
scruzman @ 22:
Sorry scruz, but a list of questionable "facts" from "a blogger somewhere" doesn't cut it. Please cite reliable sources...I believe much what you listed is pure bullshit.
"Only 6% said they were closely following the war news." Bob Schieffer
What war news?
Just in time for the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain made an unannounced visit to Iraq. Unfortunately for him, this week's anniversary highlights that at almost every turn, John McCain has been disastrously wrong about Iraq.
For a catalog of McCain's erroneous statements, see:
"Forever Wrong: Five Years of John McCain on Iraq."
Bob is totally wrong. Most Americans can and will ignore the war.
The Winter Soldiers Testimony being held at Silver Springs, Md. is also an attempt to remind people that atrocities have been committed by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would be instructive to point out that the so-called liberal N.Y.Times, whose motto is "All the News That's Fit to Print, did not print one word devoted to this story. But then, unfortunately, there have been very few so-called liberal blogs [After Downing Street being one of the few exceptions] who have made mention of this extremely important story told from the perspective of American soldiers and marines.
Did you know that there are nearly 1 million dead Iraqis since the invasion of Iraq?
Did you know that with over 4 milliaon Iraqi refugees, this is one of the largest refugee crises, second only to Darfur?
Did you know that one significant component of the surge was to pay and arm the Sunnis that until recently were responsible for most of the deaths of our troops?
Another reason, oh brilliant one, is the newspapers put Iraqi news like on page 17a, whereas Heath Ledger indubitably got the headline and the lead-in on the TV news.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 32:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYtlpG0hb38
Hey smart guy,
if you're really concerned, how about some coverage of the Iraq war as opposed to coverage of a story about how there's not enough coverage of the Iraq war? Shieffer is completely in the right pointing his finger at the American population for not giving a shit about the Iraq war because the American people really don't seem to give a shit about the Iraq war.
How many innocent Iraqi's are dead because of your failed democracy?
Get a grip, lefty. Sometimes the defensive nationalist tones of the media in the US (Fox and C&L alike) makes me puke.
There is a civil war among Iraqis, but The Shrub declared an end to hostilities years ago.
It's an occupation by the United States.
It is not a war.
Face The Nation: Bob Schieffer Reminds America There’s Still A War In Iraq
That's what kept me awake last night?
qfmliii @ 60:
Like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-emQAsGMeQ
ya! just like that - thanks, ysbaddaden, i guess i'm not alone.
Perhaps the point is, nobody is actually trying to "win this war" in the sense that we will pack up and go home after we kill all the bad guys.
The purpose of the invasion of Iraq was to steal their oil resources, and allow the US to build permanent military bases in the ME so we can continue to do the same to as many other countries as the neo-con, NWO, fascist, globalist, corporatists that run our country want to. And, all the while doing this, they (the aforementioned neo-con creeps) have been working hard to suck as much wealth as possible out of the good old USA.
By the time Americans take their Ipod phones and their cell phones out of their ears and start paying attention, a large percentage of us will be broke and homeless, and Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain can't and won't change that.
Amitola @ 65:
That is a good post. Thank you!
Another purpose was an immense no bid contract public works project with inadequate oversight that the work be done properly.
We destroyed the infrastructure in Iraq and we have rebuilt it, sort of.
This was an enormous con game. The greatest swindle in the history of the world.
The question is: what is meant by 'winning'.
Without the mercenary army, this would have been over long ago.
Hey Bob, tell it to your best buddy, Dick Cheney. He and his pals started this war for fun and profit.
Where were you when they were lying us into this war?
Up yours, Bob Shaffer.
Put a ribbon on your gas guzzling SUV and your obligations are fulfilled.
"I don't want to denigrate Kerry,...but from a Viacom standpoint, the election of a Republican administration is a better deal. Because the Republican administration has stood for many things we believe in, deregulation and so on. The Democrats are not bad people. . . . But from a Viacom standpoint, we believe the election of a Republican administration is better for our company."
- Sumner Redstone, Chairman of CBS TV weeks before the 2004 Presidental election
http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/ceoofcbs.htm
*** Hey Bob Schieffer...you might want to have a sit-down with your boss and ask him to demand more coverage of the Iraq occupation on the CBS news.
Shared Humanity @ 57:
Yes, yes and yes. If all American knew this, would they give a shit then? Or yawn and reach for the remote after you got done talking?
[Deleted. It's racism, conspiracy theory, off topic and spam all wrapped in one big ball of joy. Please don't waste our time with it any longer. Thank you. Site Monitor]
It would help remind Americans that we are at war in Iraq if either of the bumbling democratic candidates for President would talk about the war instead of hurling shit at each other.
Neither one of them gives a damn about our soldiers killing and being killed on a daily basis.
Neither one of them is visiting the hospitals so that the cameras will show Americans what is really going on.
I have nothing but contempt for them.
The thing with the media is how it controls the American public. The media is trying to distract Americans from the Iraq war by making the Election 2008 a "dogfight" and reporting more about crap no one cares about like BS. (Britney Spears). It's a shame what the American media has become. It's like people care more about what Paris Hilton bought at Saks Fifth Avenue in Hollywood, and wondered if Lindsay Lohan or Nicole Ritchie were either getting impregnated or if they wore underwear in a limo. This is why the public is so indifferent and don't give a shit about the elections, which puts the same incompetent clods back in office year after year.
Interesting statistics from Pew Research Center this week...
Awareness of Irag War Fatalities Plummets
Check that - not just interesting, UNBELIEVABLE. Is Gov. Spitzer or Rev. Wright more important than our troops and what's going on in Iraq?
Clevenative @ 74:
Clinton and Obama have the opportunity every day to raise consciousness about the war in Iraq.
But neither of them have the passion or the guts to do so.
odanny @ 70:
Americans in general might give a shit if the crappy liberals campaigning for the democratic nomination for president gave a shit.
It's unbelievable how many people fall for the media's lies. Just ask war criminal John Kerry or Black Nationalist and Radical Muslim extremist Barack Obama. It's amazing how people are so stupid they need the mainstream media to think for them. We as Americans must ignore the MSM, and try to think for our selves.
Sentimental @ 75:
Well said. Unfortunately, both of them appear to have sold their souls to their corporate masters, with neither one having any intention of removing all of the troops from Iraq or nearby, as both claim that American forces must remain in the Middle East [or, to use the Democrats' expression, "over the horizon"] in order to protect the "strategic interests" of the United States as opposed, apparently, to the interests of the Iraqis and other citizens in the Middle East region.
"Only 28% knew the death toll in the war has risen to nearly 4,000"
----------
I guess Bob forgot to mention the million or so dead Iraqis.
The posters here,like Shared Humanity,and odanny,didn't forget.
People can find news if they're willing to look just a little bit. Heath Ledger's death was overcovered only if you get your news primarily from CNN, Fox, and Entertainment Tonight.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 25:
Do you know that Baghdad is like a prison camp?
Did you know that the Iraqi people still don't have drinking water? The few who are able to have to buy it.
I wish the media would step up to the plate. I think that a lot of people have kind of given up on fighting the war with the current administration; maybe we'll see some change in the near future?
As was demonstrated by the way in which the MSM thoroughly and effectively manipulated the early primary season to ensure that only corporatist candidates made it into the final rounds, it's clear that the MSM commercial media, dictates what the national debate and dialog will be. They and no others. They silenced any candidate who raised issue that they didn't want discussed, such as the assault on our constitution, and they did it through a combination of aggressively ignoring those candidates and through a unified and highly orchestrated meme campaign in which they essentially portrayed those candidates as being nutcases or worse.
If they can do that, how is it that anybody but themselves can be called on the carpet because news isn't discussing important issues rather than the insipid pap that now blankets the airwaves? It just further soldifies the conclusion that if you want to find out what's really going on in the world, you aren't going to find out about it through theses MSM propaganda outlets. It isn't going to happen.
This was on TV in in Canada last night I'm most of you have seen but every American should watch this. No End in Sight
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=6182969183854471645&q=NO+END+IN+S...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KmsOIjzQ1V8
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 25:
Take a guess who the theivs are?
Can you say Halliburton?
L.A. Confidential @ 15:
Being an ass.
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