When the news broke that Bush’s choice to oversee the 911 “investigation” was none
other than Henry Kissinger, one of the
world's leading war criminals,
the mainstream media did a decent job of printing commentary which mention HK’s bloody
record and penchant for telling lies. However, there was also a lot of implication that
this is a naïve, even accidental appointment from the Bush team. For example, consider
Sun
cartoonist KAL’s timid
take (12/7/02) on the matter. In KAL’s cartoon, Bush is shown uncovering Kissinger from
underneath a rock. KAL has Bush saying: “Henry…what my commission on 911 needs is a
leader with impeccable integrity and unquestionable honesty…but you’ll do.” This is a
typical cartoon from KAL, who frequently uses his considerable artistic skills to
illustrate powerful US figures as being well-intentioned and sincere. In this case,
KAL adopts the mainstream media’s comfortable perspective that our nation has a
President Bush who wants to have a serious inquiry into 911, but could not avoid
making a bad choice to oversee the panel.
The Washington Post (12/8/2002) decided to try comedy to explain the return to
power of Kissinger, along with Elliott Abrams and John Poindexter in other roles. In their
Outlook section an article dramatized the recent appointments of this collection
of liars and scoundrels as if it were a film-noir production. A hilarious cartoon of a
movie poster is provided. In the article, the lying pasts of these men is recounted.
Finally the writer asks the pivotal question and gives us the acceptable answer:
“Why has Bush chosen to resuscitate men with rather unusual resumes? The answer is
that he appears not to think they did anything wrong” (Washington Post, 12/8/2002)).
Of course. Accidents do happen. Any other explanation for why the Bush team has
appointed an accused war criminal and two known liars to positions of influence
can’t be printed in the mainstream media today.
Scott Loughrey
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