NRC Handelsblad, The Netherlands

White House Lied 935 Times about Iraq.

By one of our editors.

Translated by Dorian de Wind

January 21. 2008

The Netherlands - NRC Handelsblad - Original Article (Dutch)

According to a study published yesterday by the U.S. Center for Public Integrity, during two years and in 532 speeches, press conferences, interviews and other public appearances, the case was made that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or that it wanted to make them or acquire them, or that Saddam Hussein maintained links to the Al Qaeda terrorist network. It has now been definitely established that both allegations were untrue.

According to the study, the declarations were “part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses.”  The United States supported by, among others, Great Britain, invaded Iraq in March 2003.

President Bush made 232 of such statements; the then-Secretary of State Colin Powell made 244.  Also, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld (109), White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (109), Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz (85), then-National security Adviser Condoleezza Rice (56) and Vice President Cheney (38).

The researchers also point out the “cumulative effect” of these statements, which was “massive” because the media coverage created “an almost impenetrable din for several critical months in the run-up to war. Some journalists — indeed, even some entire news organizations — have since acknowledged that their coverage during those prewar months was far too deferential and uncritical.” And, “... much of this media coverage provided additional, ‘independent’ validation of the Bush administration's false statements about Iraq. The ‘ground truth’ of the Iraq war itself eventually forced the president to backpedal, albeit grudgingly.”

ORIGINAL DUTCH TEXT HERE