It will become apparent in a few short years, I think, that U.S. military actions in Vietnam, Panama, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Haiti, even Iraq, were precitipated by not just big lies (eminent threats to national security, potential genocide, alleged attacks on American forces) but a number of small ones as well.
It could be the small lies -- the most believable at face value, and therefore the ones few journalists waste time to examine -- which tip the scales in the public mind toward war.
I'm thinking in particular of the Saddam-9/11 connection which is still believed by a majority of Fox News viewers.
If the administration has formally dismissed it a hundred times, it's still not enough as long as Cheney says, "There can be no doubt . . ."
It could be the small lies -- the most believable at face value, and therefore the ones few journalists waste time to examine -- which tip the scales in the public mind toward war.
Good point.