Because People Matter Progressive News and Views September / October 2007 “War Made Easy”—How Presidents and Media Collude to Wage War By Dan Bacher acramento for Democracy, a chapter of Progres- sive Democrats of America, hosted the local movie premiere of “War Made Easy: How Presi- Sdents & Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death,” in July at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento with a large and enthusiastic crowd. Author Norman Solomon, on whose book the film is based, was joined by Assemblyman Mark Leno and Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, sponsor of Assembly Joint Resolution 36, the bill to bring the California National Guard home from Iraq, for a live- ly panel discussion after the movie. Christine Craft, Sacramento’s own progressive radio talk show host of “Talk City,” on 1240 AM moderated the discussion. The documentary exposes how corporate media and US presidents over the past 50 years have been partners in disinformation campaigns to promote a series of bloody, costly and unnecessary wars, includ- ing interventions in Vietnam, Central America, Yugo- slavia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Adapted from Solomon’s 2005 book, by Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp of the Media Education Foun- dation, the film chronicles how presidents managed to sell war using the same Orwellian arguments with the help of a compliant media. Narrated by actor and activist Sean Penn, the film exhumes remarkable archival footage of official distortion and exaggeration Q & A discussion with author Norman Solomon after from Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush, revealing screening of “War Made Easy,” a film based on his in stunning detail how the American news media book. From left to right, AM1240’s Christine Craft, have disseminated pro-war messages in one adminis- Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, Assemblyman Mark tration after another. Leno and Normon Soloman. Media Spin on Iraq: The movie documents in a darkly humorous mat- Photo: Dick Wood ter how presidential administrations claimed again We’re Leaving (Sort of) and again they were seeking only peace, not conflict, interventions in Nicaragua, El Salvador and other while bombing thousands of civilians. The film fea- countries. These interventions resulted in thousands By Norman Solomon tures illuminating quotes from presidents about the dead, a massive exodus of refugees, and the destruc- Posted on “AlterNet” July 26, 2007 US corporate state’s drive for war. tion of country infrastructures. n mid-July, a media advisory from “The NewsHour “We still seek no wider war,” President Lyndon “America does not seek conflict,” argued George with Jim Lehrer” announced a new series of inter- Johnson said as he escalated a war in Vietnam that H.W. Bush, the architect of Operation Desert Storm resulted in the deaths of 3 million Vietnamese and views on the PBS show that will address “what Iraq and the invasion of Panama. Yet another mass mur- Imight look like when the US military leaves.” more than 50,000 US soldiers. derer supported by the corporate media. A few days later, Time magazine published a cover “The United States does not start fights,” said President Bill Clinton repeatedly bombed Yugo- story titled “Iraq: What will happen when we leave.” President Ronald Reagan, who engineered a war of slavia and Iraq, killing thousands of Iraqis, mostly But it turns out, what will happen when we leave is genocide against the Mayan population of Guatemala children, through his campaign of economic sanc- that we won’t leave. wiping out 636 Mayan villages, along with military tions against Iraq, and claimed, “I don’t like to use Urging a course of action that’s now supported by military force.” “the best strategic minds in both parties,” the Time story George W. Bush, who advanced a “preventa- calls for “an orderly withdrawal of about half the 160,000 tive war” by illegally invading Afghanistan and troops currently in Iraq by the middle of 2008. … A Iraq, told the world, “Our nation enters this conflict force of 50,000 to 100,000 troops would dig in for a lon- reluctantly.” ger stay to protect America’s most vital interests….” Inside this issue: By demonstrating how mainstream news has On Iraq policy, in Washington, the differences between Republicans and Democrats—and between the Editorial.............................................. 2 promoted endless war, the film dispels the notion of a liberal media propagated by right wing pundits. media’s war boosters and opponents—are often signifi- Healthcare.for.All................................ 2 cant. Yet they’re apt to mask the emergence of a general Solomon said when the news media finally starts formula that could gain wide support from the political Impeachment—Not.on.the.news......... 3 entertaining the view that the war was based on lies, it Media.reform:.a.priority..................... 4 and media establishment. is too late for the millions wounded and killed by the The formula’s details and timelines are up for grabs. 9/11.investigation.needed................... 5 US military. “News media, down the road, will point But there’s not a single “major” candidate for president Talk.City.Radio................................... 6 out that there were lies about the Gulf of Tonkin or willing to call for withdrawal of all US forces—not just Democracy.Now!................................ 6 about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq,” said See Solomon, page 11 Mainstream media: too little, too late. 7 Solomon in the film. “But that doesn’t bring back any of the people who have died. When it comes to life Making.a.Movie.................................. 8 and death, the truth comes out too late.” TV.stations.get.report.card................. 9 Reaction to the movie was favorable by the audi- A community paper needs Films:.“A.Place.Called.Sacramento”..9 ence and panel members. “This film should be shown community support! Journalism.Ethics................................ 9 in every high school in America,” Craft said. Hancock West.Coast.Diversity.Summit.......... 10 also commented, “The propaganda techniques to Subscribe today! wage war have been the same throughout our history. Fill out and return the form Free.Internet.for.Sacramento............ 10 The question is how we inoculate our children against Sacramento.Area.Peace.Action......... 12 the propaganda.” Solomon encouraged screenings on page 2. Big.Media.and.the.War..................... 13 of the film throughout the country to revive and Israel/Palestine.reporting.................. 13 strengthen the anti-war movement. Book.Review:.Assault on Reason... 14 For more information: Already a subscriber? Why www.warmadeeasythemovie.org. Calendar............................................ 15 not buy a subscription for a Progressive.Media............................. 16 Dan Bacher is an outdoor writer, alternative friend or family member? journalist and satirical songwriter in Sacramento. 2 Because People Matter September / October 2007 www.bpmnews.org because People Matter Editorial Volume 16, Number 5 Published Bi-Monthly by the JoAnn Fuller and Charlene Jones, Sacramento Community for Peace & Justice P.O. Box 162998, Sacramento, Coordinating Editors for This Issue CA 95816 (Use addresses below for correspondence) s is characteristic of BPM, this issue constructing their own media channels while on local television? 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