War Made Easy: How Presidents & Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death Page #3

life in dignity and freedom.

We want to lift lives around

the world, not take them.

Solomon:
These are forms of

propaganda that are insidious because

they tug at our heart strings.

We must get the Kosovar

refugees home safely.

Mine fields will have to be cleared.

Homes destroyed by Serb forces

will have to be rebuilt.

Homeless people in need

of food and medicine.

Solomon:
Of course we want

to help other people.

These are propaganda

messages that say,

don't just think of yourself,

America can't just be selfish.

It makes bombing other

people ultimately seem like

an act of kindness, of altruism.

Today our armed forces joined

our NATO allies in air strikes

against Serbian forces responsible

for the brutality in Kosovo.

We are upholding our values,

protecting our interests and

advancing the cause of peace.

But even as planes from the multi

national forces attack Iraq,

I prefer to think of peace. Not war.

Solomon:
If my motives are pure then

the fact that I'm killing people

may not be too upsetting.

It may indicate that I'm killing

people for very good reasons.

America will stand

with the allies of...

freedom to support

democratic movements

in the Middle East and beyond,

with the ultimate goal of

ending tyranny in our world.

Solomon:
So you have kind of

the high ground president

with the lofty motives

being proclaimed...

or told that peace is being sought.

Alternatives to war

are being explored...

and that's kind of

the official story.

I am continuing and I

am increasing the...

search for every

possible path to peace.

Solomon:
Whether we are talking about

Johnson, Nixon or

the president today,

you have one chief executive

after another in the White House

saying how much they

love peace and hate war.

We maintain our strength in order to

deter and defend against aggression,

to preserve freedom and peace.

No one, friend or foe, should

doubt our desire for peace.

The United States wants peace.

We seek peace. We strive for peace.

Solomon:
Every President of the last

half century has gone out of his way

to say that he wanted peace

and wanted to avoid war.

I pledged in my campaign for

the presidency to end the war

in a way that we could win the peace.

Solomon:
Even while

ordering military action.

Solomon:
So you have

this paradox in a...

way of the president

who has just ordered

massive military violence and

lethal action by the Pentagon,

turning around and saying I want to

oppose violence and promote peace.

Nixon:
I respect your idealism.

I share your concern for peace.

I want peace as much as you do.

Solomon:
Actually war

becomes perpetual...

when it's used as a

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