Fratboy Dim and his buddies are told lies

Telegraph U.K. ^ | May 4, 2003 | Irvine Welsh

[WaterDragon]

promised myself that I would never write another word about Iraq in this column, but that was before I went for an innocuous beer earlier this week. I was in a North Side of Chicago bar, packed full of college fraternity guys, who were watching the assortment of baseball, basketball and news programmes on the multiple screens.

One guy, very much the worse for wear, shouted proudly: "We killed far less Iraqi citizens than Saddam." In a moment of grotesque comedy, his fratboy friend misunderstood him and said defensively: "But we've only been there a few goddamn weeks!"

The pal was aghast and they gaped at each other for a few bemused seconds before laughing and giving each other the high-five. Now, I'm no stranger to this kind of boorish, drunken sports bar behaviour: it goes on everywhere in the Western world.

Right here, right now though, Fratboy Dim seemed symbolic of something deeper. More than anything during the Iraqi affair, this exchange summed up the mood of the American people: total bemusement, followed by a closing of ranks.

The war was a stupid, indulgent binge, but there are some signs that the hangover is already kicking in. Yes, it is taking many Americans a long time to believe that their government and media will try to deceive them. These are seen as Old World tendencies and, if many middle-American citizens appear naïve to Europeans, it's only because they want to believe the best of their rulers.

In Britain, this does not come as much of a cultural shock, as we expect to be hoodwinked by politicians. Our golden rule is ``don't get caught", a dictum broken this week by the White House. Unsurprisingly, few people noticed and even fewer cared.

The most depressing thing about the "revelation" that the Bush Administration hyped up the threat Saddam Hussein posed by distorting the US and British intelligence briefings is that it was so predictable. Sadly, so too was the reaction to it. A Bush spokesman told ABC News: ``We were not lying, it was just a matter of emphasis."

It's a pity that the television news media didn't employ this critical tone leading up to or during the war, concentrating instead on misleading people into acquiescing with this massacre. The New York Times laments that to some Americans this doesn't matter because "we won, and the Iraqi people have been freed".

What was won? This "war" was never going to result in a coalition defeat. The only surprise was that it lasted so long. When faced with the firepower the invading forces had at their disposal, the Iraqi troops were brave to the point of lunacy. Had the positions been reversed, it is extremely doubtful whether we could have shown such utterly desperate courage.

The "freed" Iraqi people now have a retired US general as ruler of their country, and have already faced the guns of American troops. In Falluja, two civilians were shot dead by US troops for protesting about the previous slaughter of another 14.

As always, the peace will be far more difficult to win than the war, and the America may yet come to rue invasion and occupation as a strategy. While starting (and finishing) a war may be easier than reconstructing a society, it still presents problems. Victory needs its glories to be celebrated, or failing that, its tragedies to be mourned. As the world's only superpower, America can now find neither in the act of war.

Just as you wouldn't expect Manchester United to come on all triumphalist after an FA Cup win over Kettering Town, a military victory against Iraq hardly constitutes air-punching stuff. Equally, given the scale of the relative losses, it's hard to put the Hollywood "American tragedy" spin on things.

Last September, George W Bush, near the anniversary of September 11, referred to a report from the Atomic Energy Agency. He claimed this proved that Saddam was only months away from having nuclear weapons. "I don't know what more evidence we need", he trumpeted.

This was a clear lie: the report in question said no such thing. For a few sane hours, the MSNBC's website bore the headline: "White House: Bush Misstated Report on Iraq." Then the story vanished mysteriously.

This is the rub, and it's where, if we believe that a citizenry has the right to be informed, our television news media are doing a disservice to democracy. As the New York Times reported, it is probable that most Americans now believe that America has found weapons of mass destruction thanks to the pattern of each potential find receiving huge television coverage, followed by the short (if that) notice of false alarm later on: "It's a pattern of misinformation that recapitulates the way the war was sold in the first place. Each administration charge against Iraq received prominent coverage; the subsequent debunking did not".

Against this onslaught, we can understand the crassness of Fratboy Dim and his buddies. It's hardly surprising that bar-room politics are a coalition of the stupefied, because it's easy to see how naïve-but-well-meaning, or even healthily cynical, types can quickly become mindless cheerleaders. With the twin towers images still fresh in American minds, Bush evoked a "mushroom cloud" when he warned of Saddam's threat.

Once that perception had served its purpose, the term "nuclear" was quickly dropped from the lexicon. It's now accepted that, if any chemical or biological weapons are found, they will be toytown stuff. Now we have Condoleezza Rice saying, in essence, that Hans Blix got it spot-on. Furthermore, any connections between the former Iraqi regime and Osama bin Laden are far more tenuous than those that link him to Saudi Arabia, or, indeed, to the CIA.

George W Bush graduated with an MBA in management. It seems almost certain that he is aware of the "mushroom theory" of management: "Keep them in the dark and feed them shit." It's just a pity that so much of our "free" television news media seem to agree with him.

[WaterDragon]

The Telegraph gets more Guardian-like every day.

[Texas Eagle]

One guy, very much the worse for wear, shouted proudly: "We killed far less Iraqi citizens than Saddam." In a moment of grotesque comedy, his fratboy friend misunderstood him and said defensively: "But we've only been there a few goddamn weeks!"

Hee hee heeeeeee....that is pretty funny.

[WaterDragon]

Yeah, it is funny. Can you imagine a columnist of a supposedly, THE supposedly, permiere conservative newspaper of Britain going off on these guys? LOL!

[Pukka Puck]

Another good post.

Thanks, Waterdragon.

[Mark Felton]

This author is the proverbial loser claiming his opponent "cheated".

He also overlooks the irony that within months that sportsbar scene could possibly be found in Baghdad itself, with Baghdad Bob singing "My Way" on Karaoke night.

[WaterDragon]

You are very welcome. These Guardian-like articles in the Telegraph seem to be coming more frequently these days.

[faithincowboys]

So did Bush lie about intelligence to get BLair and Clinton to wage Operation Desert Fox in 1998? Clinton said he and Blair did it to prevent Saddam's WMD from being transferred to terrorists.

It all happened during Lewinsky, of course.

I find the lack of archival reporting curious. They seem to enjoy going back to the 1980's to blame everything on Reagan. They also love to bring up the prior lives (Bush Senior's administration of those in the Bush administration ), but they never give the 90's the scrutiny it needs.

My, I would love a fair and balanced media. Fox isn't enough. The political grapevine is not sufficient. We need documentaries, the Left has them in abundance- PBS, Nightline, Dateline, 60 Minutes, CNN all are expert in churing out agenda driven (anti-Right, shelter the Left) documentaries.

Fox rarely does a serious documentary. Why we need the Cal Thomas and Pat Sajak shows is beyond me. Those hours could be used for Frontline type shows-- ones that would give Bill Moyer's heartburn!

[WaterDragon]

Only five or six years ago we didn't even have Fox. But I agree with you that we need more documentaries. The American public is hungry for a information about this old world, and the liberal mainstream media is determined to feed us pureed and overcooked lies.

[I still care]

When faced with the firepower the invading forces had at their disposal, the Iraqi troops were brave to the point of lunacy. Had the positions been reversed, it is extremely doubtful whether we could have shown such utterly desperate courage.

This line is so stupid it made me laugh. Wow, I wish our poor, ignoble, decadent troops had half the guts of the Iraqis.

How does he know the depths of courage that exist in our troops?

[WaterDragon]

He's a Telegraph reporter...oops, I mean columnist. Need I say more?

[WaterDragon]

So did Bush lie about intelligence to get BLair and Clinton to wage Operation Desert Fox in 1998? Clinton said he and Blair did it to prevent Saddam's WMD from being transferred to terrorists.

Excellent point.

[ladyinred]

Second anti American article from the Brits I have read tonight. Gee, do they think they are French or what? Or perhaps are they helping their comrades here in the US as the campaign season begins?

[MattAMiller]

"It's a pattern of misinformation that recapitulates the way the war was sold in the first place. Each administration charge against Iraq received prominent coverage; the subsequent debunking did not"

The administration hasn't made any claims about the finds so far in Iraq. How about a little more fact checking and little less hanging around in bars.

[MattAMiller]

"It's a pattern of misinformation that recapitulates the way the war was sold in the first place. Each administration charge against Iraq received prominent coverage; the subsequent debunking did not"

The administration hasn't made any claims about the finds so far in Iraq. How about a little more fact checking and little less hanging around in bars?

[faithincowboys]

Don't get me wrong- I love Fox and understand its effectiveness! But they are dropping the ball on this.

I documentaries on the Dot-com bubble, the Nasdaq decline prior to Dubya's Presidency, the Arthur Andersen accounting that claimed we had a 5 trillion surplus. That forecast depended on the irrational exuberence and the resulting enormous capital gains going to the federal treasury. The bubble burst and the Democrats have gotten away with blaming this on Bush and re-writing the history of the 90's. It was a time of phony numbers and phony politicans and the public has to know the truth.

Mario Cuomo was on tv tonight saying Bush's tax cut has cost the economy 10 million jobs-- untrue, but unchallenged!
Also the tax cut Bush advocated hasn't really gone into effect yet. The $300 and $600 refunds were Democrat ideas-- if that caused the deficit (which it did not) the Dems are just as responsible as Bush.

I want the "conservative" media to educate the public better!!! If the untruths prevail, Bush could easily lose in 2004.

[WaterDragon]

Gee, do they think they are French or what? Or perhaps are they helping their comrades here in the US as the campaign season begins?

You may be on to something here.

[WaterDragon]

How about a little more fact checking and little less hanging around in bars.

Perhaps he wasn't interested in "facts?"

[WaterDragon]

So far, conservative writers have indeed been responding to these stupid lies, as have conservative radio hosts, such as Limbaugh and Savage. But you're right, we need more in-depth response on TV.

[dixiechick2000]

"Why we need the Cal Thomas and Pat Sajak shows is beyond me. Those hours could be used for Frontline type shows-- ones that would give Bill Moyer's heartburn!"

What a great idea! While I like Sajak and Thomas, I don't watch their shows. However, a hard hitting documentary that would give Moyers heartburn would be a staple in my house anytime it aired.

Bumping a good post, WaterDragon. Good to see you! ;o)

[TrexDogs]

The Telegraph gets more Guardian-like every day.

You should bear in mind that this isn't an editorial opinion column. Do a web search on Irvine Welsh to learn more.

(hint: he is the author of Trainspotting ... he was hired to do a weekly "culture column" (LOL!) for the Torygraph as a way to try and lure younger readers to the paper... etc.)