“Pay No Attention To That Man Behind the Screen!”

Politicians and the media continue the charade that George Bush’s lies, forgeries, and other deceptions designed to rationalize a war against Iraq that had been long in the planning, were nothing more than “failures” in intelligence gathering and coordination. John Negroponte – nominated to become director of national intelligence – told a Senate hearing that he would even seek to veto presidential speeches “to ensure that incorrect information did not find its way into” them. Without deviating from the script, Negroponte added: “I believe in telling the president the unvarnished truth.”

If Mr. Negroponte is sincere in his stated intentions, he might begin an inquiry to determine by whom, by what means, and for what purposes, lies and forged documents were fabricated – and knowingly used by Mr. Bush – to justify attacking and subduing a nation that posed no threat to Americans.

But don’t stay up watching CNN for live coverage of such an investigation. Political and media attention must be directed to inquiries that pose no threat to the established order. As the Wizard of Oz told Dorothy and her trembling friends, . . . well, you already know what he said!

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