"So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits, and the President Failed in Iraq" is a critical examination of the Iraq War and the failures of the media, political pundits, and the U.S. government in the lead-up to and aftermath of the conflict. Written by Greg Mitchell, a prominent journalist and media critic, the book dissects the flawed narrative surrounding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and its purported ties to terrorism that served as the primary rationale for the invasion.
Mitchell meticulously examines the role of the mainstream media in disseminating the Bush administration's claims about Iraq's WMDs without sufficient scrutiny or skepticism. He argues that journalists failed to challenge the administration's assertions, effectively acting as stenographers rather than watchdogs, and thus contributing to the public's misconceptions about the necessity of the war.
Moreover, Mitchell scrutinizes the complicity of political pundits and commentators who echoed the administration's rhetoric and dismissed dissenting voices as unpatriotic or naive. He highlights how the media's reliance on experts and insiders with vested interests in promoting the war narrative further undermined its credibility and objectivity.
The book also delves into the failures of the Bush administration to provide accurate intelligence and transparently justify its decision to invade Iraq. Mitchell exposes the manipulation of intelligence, cherry-picking of evidence, and exaggeration of threats by government officials to build public support for the war.
Throughout "So Wrong for So Long," Mitchell emphasizes the human cost of the Iraq War, both in terms of lives lost and the destabilizing effects on Iraq and the broader Middle East region. He calls for greater accountability and introspection from the media, political leaders, and society as a whole to prevent similar disasters in the future.
"So Wrong for So Long" is a damning indictment of the institutional failures that led to the Iraq War and a sobering reminder of the importance of a free and vigilant press in holding power to account. It remains a seminal work for anyone interested in understanding the intersection of media, politics, and foreign policy.
