Wednesday, January 21, 2004

What Falls Between the Lines

Can you read anything in this sentence that indicates that David Kay's team found WMD in Iraq?
We're seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations. - from Bush's State of the Union address
Didn't think so, no. But it is artfully constructed to lead people who aren't listening carefully into thinking Kay's mission (which he's about to quit) has been successful.

Pretty slimy, huh? But who does this kind of slippery rhetoric gonna work on? Well, last time I heard, the majority of Americans still believed Iraq attacked us on 9/11. And I think many thoughtful people agree that this really unforgivable misconception arose because of the Bush administrations modus operandi of helpfully lumping subjects together, so that such connections are implied even if they're never stated explicitly. (Though they are stated explicitly by some, too.)

No comments: