Page 218 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

208 Chapter 8

in Iraq (which is the Bush administration's plan), although 51 percent felt
that the U.S. plans to retain such bases regardless of public opinion.'46

Most Americans may not be aware that the Iraqi public is opposed to the
occupation of Iraq. This may have to do with the fact that the mainstream press,
while occasionally reporting such opposition, has not placed this revelation on
par with other major themes seen in media reporting which reinforce the Ameri-
can commitment to "democratizing" Iraq. Is the U.S. a viable agent in promot-
ing democracy in Iraq, or is its disregard for Iraqi opposition to the occupation a
sign of the hampering, rather than strengthening of democracy? The prioritiza-
tion of such critical questions is vital when attempting to expand the parochial
constraints apparent within most mainstream discourse on the "democratization"
of Iraq. On this point, those throughout the American dissident press are looking
to engage in constructive debate that has been ignored in elite media discourse.

Notes

1. Julian E. Barnes, "The Tipping Point," US. News & World Report, 9 January
2006, 30; Jill Carroll, "Politics, Mesopotamian Style," US. News & World Report, 9
January, 2006,34; Farhad Ajami, "Identity Voting in Iraq," U.S. News & World Report, 9
January 2006, 35; Julian E. Barnes, "Cracking an Insurgent Cell," U.S. News & World
Report, 9 January 2006,36.
2. Barnes, "Cracking an Insurgent Cell," 36.
3. Barnes, "Cracking an Insurgent Cell," 40.
4. Michael R. Gordon, "Bush Aide's Memo Doubts Iraqi Leader," New York Times,
29 November 2006, http://www.nyt1mes.com/20O6/1 l/29/world/middleeast/29cnd-
militaryhtml?ex=1322456400&en=688e033 Idf987eec&ei=5088&partn~rssnyt&emc=r
ss (1 8 Mar. 2007).
5. Oprah Winfrey. 23e Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC, 23 January 2006.
6. Kim Segupta, "Rumsfeld 'Ignored Fallujah Warnings,"' Independent, 26 October
2004, http://news.independent.co.uk~world~amer~as/story.jsp? (26 Oct. 2004).
7. Jerry Adler, "Jessica's Liberation," Newsweek, 14 April 2003,42.
8. Rowman Scarborough, "Special Ops Say Lives Were on the Line in Lynch Res-
cue," Washington Times, 9 June 2003, http://washingtontimes.com/nationa1/2OO30609-
122701-9940r.htm (12 May 2005).
9. Adler, "Jessica's Liberation," 44.
10. CNN.com, "Lynch: Military Played up Rescue too much," 7 November 2003,
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/ 1 1/07/lynch.interview/index.html(2 Nov. 2003).
1
11. Joe Strupp, "How Papers are Covering Iraqi Civilian Casualties," Editor & Pub-
lisher, 8 April 2003, http://www.editorandpublisher.com~eandp/newda~icle~display.j
sp?vnu-content-id=1859190 (7 Apr. 2004).
12. Eric Boehlert, "Reality Check," Salon, 6 May 2004, http://dir.salon.com/storynew-
sfeaturd2004/05/06/images/index.html?pn=l (17 Nov. 2005).
13. Shelton Rampton and John Stauber, The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and
the Mess in Iraq (New York: Jeremy Tarcher, 2006), 24-5.
14. Associated Press, "3,663 Iraqis Killed in Past 6 Months," 14 October 2005,
http://www.truthout.orgkgi-binfartmanfexec/view.cgi/37/148 17 (14 Oct. 2005).