'Do Some Soul Searching' Why aren't the media telling the whole story about Iraq?

Opinion Journal ^ | 07 December 2005 | Donald Rumsfeld

[unionblue83]

(Editor's note: Mr. Rumsfeld delivered this speech Monday at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University.)

I'm not one to put much faith in opinion polls. But the other day, I came across an interesting set of statistics that I want to mention. It seems that the Pew Research Center asked opinion leaders in the United States their views of the prospects for a stable democracy in Iraq.

Here were some of the results: 63% of people in the news media thought the enterprise would fail. So did 71% of people in the foreign affairs establishment and 71% in academic settings or think tanks. Interestingly, opinion leaders from the U.S. military are optimistic about Iraq by a margin of 64% to 32%. And so is the American public, by a margin of 56% to 37%.

And the Iraqi people are also optimistic. I've seen this demonstrated repeatedly--in public opinion polls, in the turnout for the elections, and that tips to authorities from ordinary Iraqis have grown from 483 to 4,700 tips in a month.

This prompts the question: Which view of Iraq is more accurate? The pessimistic view of so-called elites in our country--or the optimism expressed by millions of Iraqis and by the roughly 158,000 troops on the ground? But, most important is the question: why should Iraq's success or failure matter to the American people? I'd like to address these questions today.

[unionblue83]

This should prompt some discussion...

[Youngman442002]

Democrats = Traitors

They hate America...

[Pessimist]

I think if you're a liberal elite, the "obvious" answer will be that you are intelligent (and therefore correct) while the great unwashed are fools.

[mnehring]

Negative sells in news. My definition of news is events that deviate from the norm. If the norm is positive events, then the news will reflect the negative events. It is why you don't see news often about people doing good, it is more the norm than murders.

[Mr. K]

what we need is to stop playing defense.

We need to go on the offense again... who is next on the trouble list? Syria helping the terrorists? say hello to 50,000 American troops "securing the border"

Iran trying to shove nukes in our faces? - THAT PLACE IS RIPE for the picking- the students there already seem to support America... Send 50,000 troops there to toss them out of power...

Then I bet Iraq takes care of itself.

And any any other small time despots (listening Kim Jung il?) will keep their traps shut.

[EternalHope]

Good article. Thanks for posting.

Rumsfeld left out the REAL reason for the constant media attacks and negative spin. The "elite" media is composed of decidely liberal people who detest all aspects of conservatism. Consequently, they WANT us to fail in Iraq.

[cchandler]

WHat an excellent, eloquent speech. Thatnks for posting, I had only read excerpts until now.

[Joe Brower]

"Why aren't the media telling the whole story about Iraq?"

Simple. Because they hate their country and want to see us lose the war.

They call this "patriotism".

[gooleyman]

Simple. Because they hate their country and want to see us lose the war...

-----
More to the point, they hate George W. Bush (and all Conservatives.) Anything he sets out to do they want it to fail even if it costs all 150,000 of our soldiers their lives. Even if it costs millions of lives here in this country and around the world. And it will if they succeed. They are so consumed with hatred for George W. Bush that they can't see the forest...too many trees in the way.

They loved their country during the Clintoon years. Anything he touched they sat on it so it hoping it would turn to gold. Even though the things Clintoon did never amounted to much, they painted them with gold paint and glitter and told us they were solid gold through and through.

They say what goes around comes around. It can't come around fast enough to these people. I hope they stay so consumed with hatred that they won't even think to duck when it does come around....WHAM!!!!!

[Gondring]

Democrats = Traitors

Yeah, that Zell Miller guy sure is a problem... </sarc>