GOP pro-war group running ads claiming we found WMD in Iraq

Pro-War Group
Takes to the Airwaves

Move America Forward Ads Aim to Lift
Bush's Approval Rating by Backing WMD Claims
By YOCHI J. DREAZEN and JOHN D. MCKINNON
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
December 28, 2005

WASHINGTON -- The television commercials are attention-grabbing: Newly found Iraqi documents show that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, including anthrax and mustard gas, and had "extensive ties" to al Qaeda. The discoveries are being covered up by those "willing to undermine support for the war on terrorism to selfishly advance their shameless political ambitions."

The hard-hitting spots are part of a recent public-relations barrage aimed at reversing a decline in public support for President Bush's handling of Iraq. But these advertisements aren't paid for by the Republican National Committee or other established White House allies. Instead, they are sponsored by Move America Forward, a media-savvy outside advocacy group that has become one of the loudest -- and most controversial -- voices in the Iraq debate.

While even Mr. Bush now publicly acknowledges the mistakes his administration made in judging the threat posed by Mr. Hussein, the organization is taking to the airwaves to insist that the White House was right all along.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113572887635032543-MBBcaDkXJAQBlIrm5UujD1fj5qw_20061227.html?mod=rss_free
via:http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/12/gop-pro-war-group-running-ads-claiming.html

Hit your opponent at their strongest point. There were no WMD and no ties to Al Qeada. But that doesn't matter. All that matters is convincing enough people that there were. The truth is irrelevant, after all. Perception of truth is all.

What a lying sack of crap. They have to do this though. What other choice do the Rethugs have. Either they discredit this and spin their tin-foil hat conspiracy or they leave Bush vulnerable to even more attacks that he 'lied.' I don't think it will work.

I'm responding to your post, but it's a general question. There are laws that force claims in a broadcast commercial to be supportable. Why doesn't this apply here i wonder?
The Professor

Since political propaganda isn't in support of a commercial transaction, the consumer cannot claim to have been defrauded.

If truth in advertising laws applied to political propaganda, then a sizable percentage of campaign ads that have been run in the last couple of decades never would have made it to the air.

If we still had such a doctrine. It was repealed under Reagan in 1987. When historians look back this will likely be seen as the turning point for our democracy.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0212-03.htm

Did we deregulate commercials, too?

Freedom of speech can be very messy. Think carefully about what you seem to be wanting, and you will realize that you don't really want it. You seem to be wanting the gov't to decide what someone can and can't say politically.

I asked the same question above. While political speech isn't regulated, the advertising itself still is. I think this is a situation where nobody has pressed the legality of falsifying claims in a political ad.
The Professor

If you believed a political ad was lying, to whom would you appeal? You would go to the gov't, wouldn't you? Do you want the gov't deciding what political ads may and may not be aired? Think about that very carefully.

When all else fails, make shit up.

The Goebbels reference, sadly, is very apropros.

:cry:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm writing them now.

America sees through this BS. Its just more incompetent icing on the GOP/Bush/war cake

employed by the founders of the Fourth Reich.

the Toilet Drain.

When is America going to find out en masse that these goper types are non-rehabilitative liars and not to be trusted..EVER?

Well okay then.

Why wouldn't they, if they had something that could supposedly help them win the war?

They didn't use them from the war in 1991 until now. Inspectors looked for years and years and years and didn't find anything.

Mighty hard to conclude they had something that cannot be seen.

:crazy:

:dunce:

Notice how the RNC and the WH had no comment on the ads.

This is very much in line with how they treated the Swift Boat ads.

They will take a "hands off" approach to appear as though they are above the fray and above politics. And they won't denounce the lies in the ad.

God I hate these fuckers

Progressives need to make this group their whipping post. Here is a case of outright lying with no documents whatsoever to back their claim.

We need people to tee off on this org and make them an object of ridicule to the point that most wingnuts will disavow the claims of the group.

Progressives need to make this group their whipping post. Here is a case of outright lying with no documents whatsoever to back their claim.

We need people to tee off on this org and make them an object of ridicule to the point that most wingnuts will disavow the claims of the group.

...and suddenly they trump this up as a major WMD discovery. The artillery shell in question was from the 1980s, and I don't think the sarin was even viable (is that the proper terminology?). Plus, we don't even know if this came from Saddam's "stash" - more than likely, it was planted by us.

There were NO weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. There haven't been any since the end of the Gulf War. Every inspector we've sent over there has said as much, and we have several UN reports stating that Iraq had NO WMDs.

:hi:

i've been getting the emaiL version of this ad for at Least a month now. damn you newsmax!

Their name has always cracked me up.

Move America forward by turning back the clock.

:rofl:

And, if they air this ad enough and get enough media whores to repeat it, it will become true.

we keep hoping and hoping...

these lying, treasonous, criminals.

WHEN????? WE WERE LIED INTO WAR.

Where is the OUTRAGE? Where is the PASSION? Where is the CONVICTION that comes with true moral authority?

WHEN will the Dems say NO FUCKING MORE!!!

I seriously, seriously doubt, but just suppose they are? What would that mean? For the left, for America, for everyone?