Misleading with “musings”
Here’s the sort of thing that really pisses me off about the Los Angeles Times. Today, buried in a single column on page A19, is a story headlined “Rumsfeld memos reveal musings.”
What is the definition of “musing”? American Heritage Dictionary puts it thusly:
mus·ing adj. Deep in thought; contemplative.
n.
- Contemplation; meditation.
- A product of contemplation; a thought. “an elegant tapestry of quotations, musings, aphorisms, and autobiographical reflections” (James Atlas).
What, according to this story originally from the Washington Post, were Rumsfeld’s “musings”? They were memos designed to “keep elevating the threat,” “link Iraq to Iran,” and develop “‘bumper sticker statements’ to rally support for an increasingly unpopular war.”
In other words, not musings, not contemplations from an elder statesman. They were the memoranda for propaganda, insidious and dangerous propaganda that brazenly lied about the level of threat to this nation, that brazenly lied about the relative roles of Iraq and Iran, and that ginned up a misguided patriotic fervor in favor of an illicit war.
“The memos, often referred to as ‘snowflakes,’ shed light on Rumsfeld’s brusque management style and on his efforts to address key challenges during his tenure as Pentagon chief.”
Aside from Lee: I’ll say.
“Spanning from 2002, a year after he took office, to shortly after his resignation following the 2006 congressional elections, a sampling of his trademark missives obtained Wednesday reveals a Defense chief disdainful of media criticism and driven to reshape public opinion of the Iraq war.”
“Disdainful” of media criticism? What media criticism? More like disdainful of the media — and for good reason. No one in power respects anyone or anything as toothless as the mainstream media has been these past endless seven years.
“Rumsfeld produced 20 to 60 snowflakes a day.” … “Under siege in April 2006… Rumsfeld produced a memo after a conference call with military analysts. ‘Talk about Somalia, the Phillippines, etc. Make the American people realize they are surrounded in the world by violent extremists,’ he wrote.”
Page A19. “Musings.”