Knight Ridder Iraq War

Knight Ridder Iraq War: Uncovering the Untold Stories

Introduction:

The Iraq War, a conflict that profoundly shaped the 21st century, has been documented from countless perspectives. Yet, the role of Knight Ridder, a once-prominent news organization, often gets overlooked in the broader narrative. This in-depth exploration dives into Knight Ridder's unique coverage of the Iraq War, examining its journalistic approach, its impactful reporting, and its ultimate demise. We will analyze how Knight Ridder's coverage differed from other major news outlets, the challenges faced by its journalists, and the lasting legacy of its reporting on this pivotal conflict. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Knight Ridder's contribution to our understanding of the Iraq War, emphasizing its accuracy, its investigative depth, and its often-uncomfortable truths.

I. Knight Ridder's Investigative Approach: A Contrast to Mainstream Media

Knight Ridder, unlike many other major news organizations, adopted a more skeptical and critical stance toward the Bush administration's justifications for the war. Their reporters embedded with troops, yes, but they also prioritized independent investigation and fact-checking, often challenging the official narratives presented by the Pentagon. This led to a stark contrast with the generally more supportive coverage found in newspapers like the New York Times and The Washington Post, especially in the early stages of the conflict. Knight Ridder's reporters, driven by a strong journalistic ethic, actively sought out dissenting voices and alternative perspectives, resulting in a more nuanced and arguably more accurate picture of the war's complexities.

II. Key Stories and Their Impact: Exposing the Truth on the Ground

Knight Ridder's reporting frequently challenged the optimistic assessments offered by the U.S. military. For example, their reporters were among the first to expose the widespread looting and chaos that followed the fall of Baghdad, painting a far less triumphant picture than the one presented by the government. Their investigative pieces also questioned the administration's claims about the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), a cornerstone justification for the invasion. By meticulously documenting the lack of evidence supporting the WMD claims, Knight Ridder significantly contributed to the growing public skepticism about the war's rationale. Their reporters' on-the-ground experiences, often relayed through poignant and deeply human stories, provided a powerful counterpoint to the official narratives, fostering a more critical public discourse.

III. Challenges Faced by Knight Ridder Journalists in Iraq

Reporting from a warzone is inherently dangerous, and Knight Ridder's journalists faced significant challenges. They encountered hostile environments, security risks, and the constant pressure of working under duress. Furthermore, their critical reporting often put them at odds with military officials and government representatives, leading to strained relationships and potential difficulties in accessing information. Despite these obstacles, Knight Ridder journalists persevered, demonstrating a commitment to truth and accuracy even when it meant facing significant personal risk. Their tenacity exemplifies the core values of investigative journalism in the face of adversity.

IV. The Demise of Knight Ridder and the Legacy of its Iraq War Coverage

The financial struggles faced by the newspaper industry in the early 2000s contributed significantly to Knight Ridder's eventual sale to McClatchy Company in 2006. While the financial difficulties were undoubtedly a major factor, some argue that Knight Ridder’s critical coverage of the Iraq War may have also played a role, potentially alienating some readers and advertisers. Nevertheless, the legacy of Knight Ridder's Iraq War reporting remains significant. Their meticulous, fact-based, and often uncomfortable reporting provides a valuable counter-narrative to the dominant discourse surrounding the conflict, reminding us of the importance of independent journalism and critical thinking in times of war.

V. Knight Ridder's Influence on Public Opinion and Policy Debate

Knight Ridder's reporting played a significant role in shaping public opinion regarding the Iraq War. Their consistent questioning of the administration's justifications, coupled with their on-the-ground reporting of the war's realities, contributed to the growing anti-war sentiment within the United States. This critical coverage influenced the policy debate, prompting further investigations and contributing to a broader reassessment of the war's objectives and consequences. Even today, their articles serve as essential primary source material for scholars, journalists, and anyone seeking a more nuanced understanding of the conflict.

Article Outline: Knight Ridder and the Iraq War

I. Introduction: Setting the scene, introducing Knight Ridder, and outlining the scope of the article.
II. Knight Ridder's Journalistic Approach: Examining their critical stance, investigative methods, and contrast with other media outlets.
III. Key Stories and Impact: Highlighting significant reports that challenged the official narrative and influenced public opinion.
IV. Challenges Faced by Reporters: Discussing the risks, obstacles, and pressures encountered by Knight Ridder journalists in Iraq.
V. Demise of Knight Ridder and Lasting Legacy: Analyzing the factors leading to the sale and the enduring value of their Iraq War coverage.
VI. Influence on Public Opinion and Policy: Evaluating the impact of Knight Ridder's reporting on public sentiment and political discourse.
VII. Conclusion: Summarizing key findings and reflecting on the importance of independent journalism.


(Note: The above outline has been elaborated in the body of the article itself.)


Nine Unique FAQs:

1. What made Knight Ridder's Iraq War coverage different from other news outlets? Knight Ridder adopted a more skeptical and critical approach, challenging official narratives and prioritizing independent investigation.

2. Did Knight Ridder support or oppose the Iraq War? While Knight Ridder did not explicitly take a pro or anti-war stance, their reporting was consistently critical of the Bush administration's justifications and handling of the conflict.

3. What were some of Knight Ridder's most impactful stories from the Iraq War? Their reports exposing the lack of WMDs, detailing the post-invasion chaos in Baghdad, and highlighting the human cost of the war were particularly impactful.

4. What challenges did Knight Ridder journalists face while reporting from Iraq? They faced security risks, hostility, difficulties in accessing information, and pressure from military officials.

5. Why did Knight Ridder ultimately sell to McClatchy? The sale was primarily attributed to the financial struggles of the newspaper industry, although some argue that their critical war coverage may have also played a role.

6. How did Knight Ridder's reporting influence public opinion? Their critical coverage contributed to growing public skepticism about the war and increased anti-war sentiment.

7. What is the lasting legacy of Knight Ridder's Iraq War coverage? Their reporting provides a valuable counter-narrative, highlighting the importance of independent journalism and critical thinking during wartime.

8. Are Knight Ridder's articles on the Iraq War still accessible today? While some archives may be incomplete, many of their articles can be found through online databases and research archives.

9. How did Knight Ridder's embedded journalists contribute to their unique perspective? Embedded journalists provided firsthand accounts, but Knight Ridder's commitment to independent investigation ensured these accounts were critically analyzed and verified.


Nine Related Articles:

1. The Pentagon's Propaganda Machine During the Iraq War: An analysis of how the military shaped media narratives.
2. Embedded Journalism and the Iraq War: A Critical Assessment: Examining the strengths and weaknesses of embedded reporting.
3. The Role of Media Bias in the Iraq War Coverage: An investigation into the influence of political viewpoints on news reporting.
4. The Impact of the Iraq War on American Public Opinion: A study of shifts in public sentiment before, during, and after the conflict.
5. The Legacy of the Iraq War: A Long-Term Perspective: An examination of the war's lasting consequences on the region and the world.
6. Comparing Iraq War Coverage Across Different News Outlets: A comparative analysis of the perspectives offered by various media organizations.
7. The Hunt for Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Post-War Analysis: An in-depth review of the justifications for the invasion and the lack of evidence.
8. Challenges of War Reporting in the Digital Age: Exploring the changing dynamics of covering conflicts in the 21st century.
9. The Human Cost of the Iraq War: A Focus on Civilian Casualties: A detailed examination of the impact on the Iraqi population.


  knight ridder iraq war: The Secret Way to War Mark Danner, 2006 Publisher Description
  knight ridder iraq war: Now They Tell Us Michael Massing, 2004-08-31 Michael Massing describes the American press coverage of the war in Iraq as the unseen war, an ironic reference given the number of reporters in Iraq and in Doha, Qatar, the location of the Coalition Media Center with its $250,000 stage set. He argues that a combination of self-censorship, lack of real information given by the military at briefings, boosterism, and a small number of reporters familiar with Iraq and fluent in Arabic deprived the American public of reliable information while the war was going on. Massing also is highly critical of American press coverage of the Bush administration's case for war prior to the invasion of Iraq: US journalists were far too reliant on sources sympathetic to the administration. Those with dissenting views—and there were more than a few—were shut out. Reflecting this, the coverage was highly deferential to the White House. This was especially apparent on the issue of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction .... Despite abundant evidence of the administration's brazen misuse of intelligence in this matter, the press repeatedly let officials get away with it. Once Iraq was occupied and no WMDs were found, the press was quick to report on the flaws of pre-war intelligence. But as Massing's detailed analysis demonstrates, pre-war journalism was also deeply flawed, as too many reporters failed to independently evaluate administration claims about Saddam's weapons programs or the inspection process. The press's postwar feistiness stands in sharp contrast to its submissiveness and meekness before the war—when it might have made a difference.
  knight ridder iraq war: Reporting from the Front Judith L. Sylvester, Suzanne Huffman, 2005 During what some have called the 'most televised war in history, ' did journalistic objectivity fall by the wayside? Were the experiences of embedded journalists in Iraq markedly different from reporters who went on their own? Reporting from the Front is a provocative look at media and the Iraq War-spanning issues from basic reporting and coverage to ethical dilemmas, personal safety, and training with the military. Featuring interviews with journalists such as Anne Garrels and Ivan Watson of NPR and Bob Schieffer and Byron Pitts of CBS, among others, Reporting from the Front offers personal insights from a wide range of correspondents, producers, editors, photojournalists, media managers, and military and defense officials about reporting on Iraq as well as on previous wars and other conflicts
  knight ridder iraq war: At War with Metaphor Erin Steuter, Deborah Wills, 2009 When photographs documenting the torture and humiliation of prisoners at Abu Ghraib came to the attention of a horrified public, national and international voices were raised in shock, asking how this happened. At War with Metaphor offers an answer, arguing that the abuses of Abu Ghraib were part of a systemic continuum of dehumanization. This continuum has its roots in our public discussions of the war on terror and the metaphors through which they are repeatedly framed. Arguing earnestly and incisively that these metaphors, if left unexamined, bind us into a cycle of violence that will only be intensified by a responsive violence of metaphor, Steuter and Wills examine compelling examples of the images of animal, insect, and disease that inform, shape, and limit our understanding of the war on terror. Tying these images to historical and contemporary uses of propaganda through a readable, accessible analysis of media filters, At War with Metaphor vividly explores how news media, including political cartoons and talk radio, are enmeshed in these damaging, dehumanizing metaphors. Analyzing media through the lenses of race and Orientalism, it invites us to hold our media and ourselves accountable for the choices we make in talking war and making enemies.
  knight ridder iraq war: They Were Soldiers Joseph L. Galloway, Marvin J. Wolf, 2020-05-12 They Were Soldiers showcases the inspiring true stories of 49 Vietnam veterans who returned home from the lost war to enrich America's present and future. In this groundbreaking new book, Joseph L. Galloway, distinguished war correspondent and New York Times bestselling author of We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young, and Marvin J. Wolf, Vietnam veteran and award-winning author, reveal the private lives of those who returned from Vietnam to make astonishing contributions in science, medicine, business, and other arenas, and change America for the better. For decades, the soldiers who served in Vietnam were shunned by the American public and ignored by their government. Many were vilified or had their struggles to reintegrate into society magnified by distorted depictions of veterans as dangerous or demented. Even today, Vietnam veterans have not received their due. Until now. These profiles are touching and courageous, and often startling. They include veterans both known and unknown, including: Frederick Wallace (“Fred”) Smith, CEO and founder of FedEx Marshall Carter, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange Justice Eileen Moore, appellate judge who also serves as a mentor in California's Combat Veterans Court Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state under Colin Powell Guion “Guy” Bluford Jr., first African American in space Engrossing, moving, and eye-opening, They Were Soldiers is a magnificent tribute that gives long overdue honor and recognition to the soldiers of this forgotten generation.
  knight ridder iraq war: The Political Road to War with Iraq Nick Ritchie, Paul Rogers, 2006-09-27 This volume explores in close detail the events and factors leading up to the second Gulf War in 2003 and considers whether war with Iraq was inevitable. Nick Ritchie and Paul Rogers argue that after the election of George W. Bush, conflict between Iraq and the United States was probable, and that after 9/11 it became virtually inevitable. They begin by setting the story of Iraq, Bush and 9/11 within the broader context of the importance of the Persian Gulf to enduring US national security interests and go on to examine the intense politicking that surrounded the conflict and still reverberates today. The authors examine US policy towards Iraq at the end of the Clinton administration, the opposition in Congress and Washington’s conservative think tanks to Clinton’s strategy of containment, and the evolution of Iraq policy during the first eight months of the Bush presidency and the growing pressure for regime change. They also explore the immediate focus on Iraq after the attacks of September 11 that marked a watershed in US national security policy and chart the construction of the case against Iraq through 2002 and the administration’s determination to end Saddam Hussein’s regime at all costs. The Political Road to War with Iraq will be of great interest to all students and scholars of US foreign policy, war and peace studies and international relations.
  knight ridder iraq war: War in Iraq Thomas G. Mahnken, Thomas A. Keaney, 2007-06-11 This volume provides a collection of insightful essays on all phases of the Iraq War: both US-led major combat operations to defeat the Ba’athist regime as well as efforts to reconstruct the country and defeat the insurgency. Written by leading scholars on the Iraq War, many of whom have practical first-hand experience of the war, the book includes a Conclusion by leading US strategic thinker Eliot Cohen. This is the first work on the Iraq War to incorporate an understanding of the Iraqi side of the war, based on a systematic analysis of captured Iraqi archives. War in Iraq will be of great interest to students of the Iraq War, small wars and insurgencies, international security and strategic studies in general.
  knight ridder iraq war: Knightfall Davis Merritt, 2005 With corporate balance sheets dictating what we read, freedom of speech is in peril -- and freedom itself may be compromised.
  knight ridder iraq war: Selling War, Selling Hope Anthony R. DiMaggio, 2015-09-21 Modern presidents have considerable power in selling U.S. foreign policy objectives to the public. In Selling War, Selling Hope, Anthony R. DiMaggio documents how presidents often make use of the media to create a positive informational environment that, at least in the short term, successfully builds public support for policy proposals. Using timely case studies with a focus on the Arab Spring and the U.S. War on Terror in the Middle East and surrounding regions, DiMaggio explains how official spin is employed to construct narratives that are sympathetic to U.S. officialdom. The mass media, rather than exhibiting independence when it comes to reporting foreign policy issues, is regularly utilized as a political tool for selling official proposals. The marginalization of alternative, critical viewpoints poses a significant obstacle to informed public deliberations on foreign policy issues. In the long run, however, the packaging of official narrative and its delivery by the media begins to unravel as citizens are able to make use of alternative sources of information and assert their independence from official viewpoints.
  knight ridder iraq war: The War in Iraq and Why the Media Failed Us David Dadge, 2006-07-30 Polls show that a sizeable portion of the American population believes that troops found WMD in Iraq and that Saddam Hussein was somehow responsible for the attacks of September 11. Even after the 9/11 Commission Report and numerous other reports have concluded that our intelligence was flawed, people in the freest nation on earth continue to be misinformed about something that could not be more vital to understand—the reasons for sending troops into harm's way. This insightful analysis argues that the media should have done a better job of performing its traditional role of skeptic and watchdog, and it examines what went wrong. There are, of course, many people whose support for going to war in Iraq was not contingent on the existence of WMD or a connection to al-Qaeda. But many others based their support for the war on misinformation. Dadge explores why the media did not aggressively investigate the claims made by the administration and intelligence agencies; in short, why they did not do their job: to fully inform the citizenry to the best of their ability. He examines pressures from the Bush administration, pressures from corporate consolidation of media ownership, patriotism and self-censorship, and other factors. He concludes with recommendations for ways in which the media can improve their reporting on government.
  knight ridder iraq war: Hate Inc Matt Taibbi, 2021-03
  knight ridder iraq war: Going to War in Iraq Stanley Feldman, Leonie Huddy, George E. Marcus, 2015-09-22 Conventional wisdom holds that the Bush administration was able to convince the American public to support a war in Iraq on the basis of specious claims and a shifting rationale because Democratic politicians decided not to voice opposition and the press simply failed to do its job. Drawing on the most comprehensive survey of public reactions to the war, Stanley Feldman, Leonie Huddy, and George E. Marcus revisit this critical period and come back with a very different story. Polling data from that critical period shows that the Bush administration’s carefully orchestrated campaign not only failed to raise Republican support for the war but, surprisingly, led Democrats and political independents to increasingly oppose the war at odds with most prominent Democratic leaders. More importantly, the research shows that what constitutes the news matters. People who read the newspaper were more likely to reject the claims coming out of Washington because they were exposed to the sort of high-quality investigative journalism still being written at traditional newspapers. That was not the case for those who got their news from television. Making a case for the crucial role of a press that lives up to the best norms and practices of print journalism, the book lays bare what is at stake for the functioning of democracy—especially in times of crisis—as newspapers increasingly become an endangered species.
  knight ridder iraq war: Clash Jon Marshall, 2022-05 Clash describes the powerful political, technological, economic, and social forces that shape the relationship between presidents and the press and how that relationship shapes public opinion. Jon Marshall argues that the press now faces new threats and must grow stronger: American democracy depends on it.
  knight ridder iraq war: See No Stranger Valarie Kaur, 2021-09-07 #1 LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • FINALIST FOR THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE • An urgent manifesto and a dramatic memoir of awakening, this is the story of revolutionary love. “In a world stricken with fear and turmoil, Valarie Kaur shows us how to summon our deepest wisdom.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love How do we love in a time of rage? How do we fix a broken world while not breaking ourselves? Valarie Kaur—renowned Sikh activist, filmmaker, and civil rights lawyer—describes revolutionary love as the call of our time, a radical, joyful practice that extends in three directions: to others, to our opponents, and to ourselves. It enjoins us to see no stranger but instead look at others and say: You are part of me I do not yet know. Starting from that place of wonder, the world begins to change: It is a practice that can transform a relationship, a community, a culture, even a nation. Kaur takes readers through her own riveting journey—as a brown girl growing up in California farmland finding her place in the world; as a young adult galvanized by the murders of Sikhs after 9/11; as a law student fighting injustices in American prisons and on Guantánamo Bay; as an activist working with communities recovering from xenophobic attacks; and as a woman trying to heal from her own experiences with police violence and sexual assault. Drawing from the wisdom of sages, scientists, and activists, Kaur reclaims love as an active, public, and revolutionary force that creates new possibilities for ourselves, our communities, and our world. See No Stranger helps us imagine new ways of being with each other—and with ourselves—so that together we can begin to build the world we want to see.
  knight ridder iraq war: A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America John Bice, 2007 Exploring the power of preaching to the converted, this motivating collection challenges other atheists, secularists, agnostics, and freethinkers to become vocal and involved in their own local media, adding a rational voice to the daily dialogue taking place in newspapers across the country.
  knight ridder iraq war: Intelligence and Strategy John Ferris, 2007-05-07 John Ferris' work in strategic and intelligence history is widely praised for its originality and the breadth of its research. At last his major pioneering articles are now available in this one single volume. In Intelligence and Strategy these essential articles have been fundamentally revised to incorporate new evidence and information withheld by governments when they were first published. This volume reshapes the study of communications intelligence by tracing Britain's development of cipher machines providing the context to Ultra and Enigma, and by explaining how British and German signals intelligence shaped the desert war. The author also explains how intelligence affected British strategy and diplomacy from 1874 to 1940 and world diplomacy during the 1930s and the Second World War. Finally he traces the roots for contemporary intelligence, and analyzes intelligence and the RMA as well as the role of intelligence in the 2003 Gulf War. This volume ultimately brings new light to our understanding of the relations between intelligence, strategy and diplomacy between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 21st century.
  knight ridder iraq war: The Book on Bush Eric Alterman, Mark J. Green, 2004-08-03 When George W. Bush became president in January 2001, he took office with a comfortably familiar surname, bipartisan rhetoric, and the promise of calming a public shaken by the convulsions of impeachment and a contested election. Then nine months later, after the tragedy of 9/11, both the country and the world looked to him for leadership that could unite people behind great common goals. Instead, three years into his term, George W. Bush squandered the goodwill felt toward America, turned allies into adversaries, and ran the most radical and divisive administration in the history of the presidency. The Book On Bush was the first comprehensive critique of a president who governed on a right wing and a prayer. In carefully documented and vivid detail, Eric Alterman and Mark Green, two of the leading progressive authors/advocates in the country, not only trace the guiding ideology that ran through a wide range of W.’s policies but also expose a presidential decision-making process that, rather than weighing facts to arrive at conclusions, began with conclusions and then searched for supporting facts.
  knight ridder iraq war: So Wrong for So Long Greg Mitchell, 2008 Mitchell, editor of Editor & Publisher and noted press critic, offers his assessment of how well the media has--and has not--covered the war in Iraq.
  knight ridder iraq war: Why Presidents Fail Richard M. Pious, 2008-07-25 Presidents are surrounded by political strategists and White House counsel who presumably know enough to avoid making the same mistakes as their predecessors. Why, then, do the same kinds of presidential failures occur over and over again? Why Presidents Fail answers this question by examining presidential fiascos, quagmires, and risky business-the kind of failure that led President Kennedy to groan after the Bay of Pigs invasion, 'How could I have been so stupid?' In this book, Richard M. Pious looks at nine cases that have become defining events in presidencies from Dwight D. Eisenhower and the U-2 Flights to George W. Bush and Iraqi WMDs. He uses these cases to draw generalizations about presidential power, authority, rationality, and legitimacy. And he raises questions about the limits of presidential decision-making, many of which fly in the face of the conventional wisdom about the modern presidency.
  knight ridder iraq war: Iraq at the Crossroads Amy V. Cardosa, 2007 This book on Iraq focuses on the post-Saddam government, women in Iraq and the potential oil wealth remaining unrealised. Iraq, which was attacked by the United States to force a regime change, faces an uncertain future because of internal strife, outside forces such as the US and anti-US entities, and the effects of government inexperience and lack of legal and institutional infrastructures.
  knight ridder iraq war: Lapdogs Eric Boehlert, 2006-05-11 The first book to demonstrate that, for the entire George W. Bush presidency, the news media utterly failed in their duty as watchdog for the public. In blistering prose, Eric Boehlert reveals how, time after time, the press chose a soft approach to covering the government, and as a result reported and analyzed crucial events incompletely and even inaccurately. From WMDs to Valerie Plame to the NSA's domestic spying, mainstream fixtures such as The New York Times, CBS, CNN, and Time magazine too often ignored the administration's missteps and misleading words, and did not call out the public officials who betrayed the country's trust. Throughout both presidential campaigns and the entire Iraq war to date, the media acted as a virtual mouthpiece for the White House, giving watered-down coverage of major policy decisions, wartime abuses of power, and egregious mistakes -- and sometimes these events never made it into the news at all. Finally, in Lapdogs, the press is being held accountable by one of its own. Boehlert homes in on the reasons the press did not do its job: a personal affinity for Bush that journalists rarely displayed toward his predecessor, Bill Clinton; a Republican White House that threatened to deny access to members of the media who asked challenging questions or voiced criticism; and a press that feared being tainted by accusations of liberal bias. Moreover, journalists -- who may have wanted to report accurately on the important stories -- often found themselves at cross-purposes with media executives, many of whom were increasingly driven by economic concerns. Cowed by all of these factors, the media abandoned their traditional role of stirring up meaningful public debate. Boehlert asserts that the Bush White House never subscribed to the view -- commonly held by previous administrations -- that a relationship with the press is an important part of the democratic process. Instead, it saw the press as just another special interest group that needed to be either appeased or held at bay -- or, in some cases, squashed. The administration actively undermined the basic tenets of accurate and fair journalism, and reporters and editors accepted their reduced roles without a whimper. To an unprecedented degree, journalists too often stopped asking uncomfortable questions of people in power. In essence, the entire purpose and pursuit of journalism was sacrificed. Riveting in its sharp denouncement, supported by dozens of glaring and troubling examples of journalistic malpractice, Lapdogs thoroughly dissects the press's misconduct during Bush's presidency and gives voice to the growing public dismay with the mainstream media.
  knight ridder iraq war: Iraq in Fragments Eric Herring, Glen Rangwala, 2006 When the United States led the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, it expected to be able to establish a prosperous liberal democracy with an open economy that would serve as a key ally in the region. It sought to engage Iraqi society in ways that would defeat any challenge to that state building project and U.S. guidance of it. Eric Herring and Glen Rangwala argue that state building in Iraq has been crippled less by preexisting weaknesses in the Iraqi state, Iraqi sectarian divisions or U.S. policy mistakes than by the fact that the US has attempted-with only limited success-to control the parameters and outcome of that process. They explain that the very nature of U.S. state-building in Iraq has created incentives for unregulated local power struggles and patron-client relations. Corruption, smuggling, and violence have resulted. The main legacy of the US-led occupation, the authors contend, is that Iraq has become a fragmented state-that is, one in which actors dispute where overall political authority lies and in which there are no agreed procedures for resolving such disputes. As long as this is the case, the authority of the state will remain limited. Technocratic mechanisms such as training schemes for officials, political fixes such as elections, and the coercive tools of repression will not be able to overcome this situation. Placing the occupation within the context of regional, global, and U.S. politics, Herring and Rangwala demonstrate how the politics of co-option, coercion, and economic change have transformed the lives and allegiances of the Iraqi population. As uncertainty about the future of Iraq persists, this volume provides a much-needed analysis of the deeper forces that give meaning to the daily events in Iraq.
  knight ridder iraq war: The Plight of Iraqi Refugees United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary, 2007
  knight ridder iraq war: Pentagon Rules on Media Access to the Persian Gulf War United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs, 1991
  knight ridder iraq war: War Without End Michael Schwartz, 2016-12-05 Michael Schwartz gets behind the headlines, revealing the real dynamics of the Iraq debacle and its legacy.
  knight ridder iraq war: Blood on Our Hands Nicolas J. S. Davies, 2010 America's crimes against the people of Iraq were shielded from public scrutiny by what senior U.S. military officers called the quiet, disguised, media-free approach developed in Central America in the 1980s. The echo chamber of the Western corporate media fleshed out the Pentagon's propaganda to create a virtual Iraq in the minds of the public, feeding a political discourse that bore no relation to the real war it was waging, the country it was destroying or the lives of its inhabitants. Davies takes apart the wall of propaganda surrounding one of history's most significant military disasters and most serious international crimes: non-existent WMDs; the equally fictitious centuries-old sectarian blood feud in Iraq; and the secrecy of the dirty war waged by American-led death squads. He places each aspect of the war within a context of illegal aggression, hostile military occupation and popular resistance, to uncover the brutal reality of a war that has probably killed at least a million people. From publisher description.
  knight ridder iraq war: Peace Journalism, War and Conflict Resolution Richard Keeble, John Tulloch, Florian Zollman, 2010 Peace Journalism, War and Conflict Resolution draws together the work of over twenty leading international writers, journalists, theorists and campaigners in the field of peace journalism. Mainstream media tend to promote the interests of the military and governments in their coverage of warfare. This major new text aims to provide a definitive, up-to-date, critical, engaging and accessible overview exploring the role of the media in conflict resolution. Sections focus in detail on theory, international practice, and critiques of mainstream media performance from a peace perspective; countries discussed include the U.S., U.K., Germany, Cyprus, Sweden, Canada, India, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Chapters examine a wide variety of issues including mainstream newspapers, indigenous media, blogs and radical alternative websites. The book includes a foreword by award-winning investigative journalist John Pilger and a critical afterword by cultural commentator Jeffery Klaehn.
  knight ridder iraq war: Exiting Iraq Christopher A. Preble, 2004 Within months of the United States and its coalition partners toppling Saddam Husseins government, the Cato Institute convened a special task force of scholars and policy experts to examine U.S. strategic interests in Iraq and to question the Bush administrations intention to 2stay as long as necessary. 3 The result of their efforts was a book of their analysis that was published near the one-year anniversary of the occupation -- Exiting Iraq. As the war now enters its fourth year, Exiting Iraq remains as clear and incisive as ever, with the added dimension of its being so prophetic in what it saw, predicted, and urgently recommended. In addition to the members (listed below) of the special task force calling for the military occupation to end they showed how the presence of troops in Iraq distracts attention from fighting al-Qaeda and emboldens a new class of terrorists to take up arms against the United States. Moreover, the report underscores how the occupation is enormously costly for American taxpayers, exposes our men and women in uniform to unnecessary risks, and undermines attempts to foster political and economic reform in the region. - Publisher.
  knight ridder iraq war: American Carnival Neil Henry, 2007-05-29 In this vividly written, compelling narrative, award-winning journalist Neil Henry confronts the crisis facing professional journalism in this era of rapid technological transformation. American Carnival combines elements of memoir with extensive media research to explore critical contemporary issues ranging from reporting on the Iraq War, to American race relations, to the exploitation of the image of journalism by advertisers and politicians. Drawing on significant currents in U.S. media and social history, Henry argues that, given the amount of fraud in many institutions in American life today, the decline of journalistic professionalism sparked by the economic challenge of New Media poses especially serious implications for democracy. As increasingly alarming stories surface about unethical practices, American Carnival makes a stirring case for journalism as a calling that is vital to a free society, a profession that is more necessary than ever in a digital age marked by startling assaults on the cultural primacy of truth.
  knight ridder iraq war: Speaking Up at Work Ryan Smerek, 2023-07-13 If you have ever feared speaking up about your ideas or have done so but are frustrated by your lack of success, this book is for you. You’ll learn from the stories of others who have been a “lone voice” or an “independent thinker” and their attempts at change—both successful and unsuccessful. By learning from their experiences, you’ll gain insight into effective tactics and pitfalls to avoid. In addition, if you are a leader and afraid you are not hearing the best ideas from your team, you’ll learn various tools and tactics to let the best ideas emerge. Along with stories ranging from CEOs to individual contributors, you’ll learn insights from studies in psychology and management and what has been found through decades of research. Together the book offers an engaging portrait of when, why, and how to have your voice heard at work and in life.
  knight ridder iraq war: Mass Media, Mass Propaganda Anthony DiMaggio, 2008-04-28 Mass Media, Mass Propaganda analyzes a wide range of issues, domestic and international, concerning American and global news coverage of the U.S. 'War on Terror.' Topics reviewed include: media coverage of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Iraqi civil war and resistance to occupation, September 11th and 'Operation Enduring Freedom' in Afghanistan, human rights violations in Iraqm domestic anti-way dissent and censorship, and potential future targets in the 'War on Terror.' This work approaches the study of media through a political economy analysis, examining the ways in which the American corporate media works to reinforce official views and propaganda, and the ways in which it challenges official pro-war platforms. A comparative approach is taken in contrasting the American mass media with other media institutions from the Progressive-Left American press, the British and Australian press, and Arab electronic media. Major models analyzed and evaluated throughout this work include the 'Propaganda Model,' developed by Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman, and the 'Indexing Model,' elaborated upon by scholars such as W. Lance Bennett, Steven Livingston, and Jonathan Mermin.
  knight ridder iraq war: The Pen and the Sword Calvin F. Exoo, 2010 The Pen and the Sword is the only comprehensive examination of how the media have covered the 21st century's #1 news story: terrorism and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is the full story-from 9/11 to the Obama doctrine-including
  knight ridder iraq war: Squandered Victory Larry Diamond, 2007-04-01 America's leading expert on democracy delivers the first insider's account of the U.S. occupation of Iraq-a sobering and critical assessment of America's effort to implant democracy In the fall of 2003, Stanford professor Larry Diamond received a call from Condoleezza Rice, asking if he would spend several months in Baghdad as an adviser to the American occupation authorities. Diamond had not been a supporter of the war in Iraq, but he felt that the task of building a viable democracy was a worthy goal now that Saddam Hussein's regime had been overthrown. He also thought he could do some good by putting his academic expertise to work in the real world. So in January 2004 he went to Iraq, and the next three months proved to be more of an education than he bargained for. Diamond found himself part of one of the most audacious undertakings of our time. In Squandered Victory he shows how the American effort to establish democracy in Iraq was hampered not only by insurgents and terrorists but also by a long chain of miscalculations, missed opportunities, and acts of ideological blindness that helped assure that the transition to independence would be neither peaceful nor entirely democratic. He brings us inside the Green Zone, into a world where ideals were often trumped by power politics and where U.S. officials routinely issued edicts that later had to be squared (at great cost) with Iraqi realities. His provocative and vivid account makes clear that Iraq-and by extension, the United States-will spend many years climbing its way out of the hole that was dug during the fourteen months of the American occupation.
  knight ridder iraq war: Ending the War in Iraq Tom Hayden, 2007-06-01 The noted activist discusses the sources of the Iraq War, conditions in Iraq that underlie the insurgency, and the origins of the peace movement in the United States, and offers his suggestions for how protestors can help end the war.
  knight ridder iraq war: The International Struggle Over Iraq David Malone, 2006 Iraq has dominated headlines in contemporary times, but its controversial role in international affairs goes back much further. This book presents an understanding of one of the most persistent crises in international affairs, and the various roles the world's central peace-making forum has played in it.
  knight ridder iraq war: The Story Judith Miller, 2015-04-07 Judith Miller—star reporter for The New York Times, foreign correspondent in some of the most dangerous locations, Pulitzer Prize winner, and longest jailed correspondent for protecting her sources—turns her reporting skills on herself in this “memoir of high-stakes journalism” (Kirkus Reviews). In The Story, Judy Miller turns her journalistic skills on herself and her controversial reporting, which marshaled evidence that led America to invade Iraq. She writes about the mistakes she and others made on the existence in Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. She addresses the motives of some of her sources, including the notorious Iraqi Chalabi and the CIA. She describes going to jail to protect her sources in the Scooter Libby investigation of the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame and how the Times subsequently abandoned her after twenty-eight years. Judy Miller grew up near the Nevada atomic proving ground. She got a job at The New York Times after a suit by women employees about discrimination at the paper and went on to cover national politics, head the paper’s bureau in Cairo, and serve as deputy editor in Paris and then deputy at the powerful Washington bureau. She reported on terrorism and the rise of fanatical Islam in the Middle East and on secret biological weapons plants and programs in Iraq, Iran, and Russia. Miller shared a Pulitzer for her reporting. She describes covering terrorism in Lebanon, being embedded in Iraq, and going inside Russia’s secret laboratories where scientists concocted designer germs and killer diseases and watched the failed search for WMDs in Iraq. The Story vividly describes the real life of a foreign and investigative reporter. It is an account filled with adventure, told with bluntness and wryness.
  knight ridder iraq war: Reintegrating Armed Groups After Conflict ,
  knight ridder iraq war: Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Beth Bailey, Richard H. Immerman, 2015-12-18 Choice Outstanding Academic Title of 2016 Investigates the causes, conduct, and consequences of the recent American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Understanding the United States’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is essential to understanding the United States in the first decade of the new millennium and beyond. These wars were pivotal to American foreign policy and international relations. They were expensive: in lives, in treasure, and in reputation. They raised critical ethical and legal questions; they provoked debates over policy, strategy, and war-planning; they helped to shape American domestic politics. And they highlighted a profound division among the American people: While more than two million Americans served in Iraq and Afghanistan, many in multiple deployments, the vast majority of Americans and their families remained untouched by and frequently barely aware of the wars conducted in their name, far from American shores, in regions about which they know little. Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan gives us the first book-length expert historical analysis of these wars. It shows us how they began, what they teach us about the limits of the American military and diplomacy, and who fought them. It examines the lessons and legacies of wars whose outcomes may not be clear for decades. In 1945 few Americans could imagine that the country would be locked in a Cold War with the Soviet Union for decades; fewer could imagine how history would paint the era. Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan begins to come to grips with the period when America became enmeshed in a succession of “low intensity” conflicts in the Middle East.
  knight ridder iraq war: The Rape of Mesopotamia Lawrence Rothfield, 2009-08-01 On April 10, 2003, as the world watched a statue of Saddam Hussein come crashing down in the heart of Baghdad, a mob of looters attacked the Iraq National Museum. Despite the presence of an American tank unit, the pillaging went unchecked, and more than 15,000 artifacts—some of the oldest evidence of human culture—disappeared into the shadowy worldwide market in illicit antiquities. In the five years since that day, the losses have only mounted, with gangs digging up roughly half a million artifacts that had previously been unexcavated; the loss to our shared human heritage is incalculable. With The Rape of Mesopotamia, Lawrence Rothfield answers the complicated question of how this wholesale thievery was allowed to occur. Drawing on extensive interviews with soldiers, bureaucrats, war planners, archaeologists, and collectors, Rothfield reconstructs the planning failures—originating at the highest levels of the U.S. government—that led to the invading forces’ utter indifference to the protection of Iraq’s cultural heritage from looters. Widespread incompetence and miscommunication on the part of the Pentagon, unchecked by the disappointingly weak advocacy efforts of worldwide preservation advocates, enabled a tragedy that continues even today, despite widespread public outrage. Bringing his story up to the present, Rothfield argues forcefully that the international community has yet to learn the lessons of Iraq—and that what happened there is liable to be repeated in future conflicts. A powerful, infuriating chronicle of the disastrous conjunction of military adventure and cultural destruction, The Rape of Mesopotamia is essential reading for all concerned with the future of our past.
  knight ridder iraq war: War is a Racket II Robert F. Boland, 2019-06-27 This is not an anti-war book. Rather, the book is about the bad behavior of the US government in Washington, DC, in taking the country into military adventures when it is not necessary. To state that the country should never go to war would be irresponsible. Wars cannot always be avoided. A characteristic of the United States foreign policy establishment is their refusal to admit they made a mistake. There are never any consequences for invading the wrong country. The establishment carries on as if everything is okay, and they quickly forget about the dead and crippled. Currently, the US has approximately 800 bases in seventy countries. As of November 2016, the US was dropping bombs on seven different countries. This book does not favor either political party. However, some may disagree. In 1935, retired General Smedley Butler published a small book entitled War Is a Racket, which explained how and why the US Government manipulates the country into various wars and military interventions for power and their own selfish interest. This is an update on General Butler's 1935 book. Most of us have heard or read the following words many times. We are forced to go to war or do a military intervention to save our liberty and freedom, to make the world safe for democracy, a war to end all wars, to save the world from communist or whatever, to protect American lives, to save the world from a country that might possess weapons of mass destruction, etc. This is a book explaining how the United States government manipulated and lied its way into a number of wars and military interventions. This information will not normally be taught in your school history class or viewed on your history channel. This is not conspiracy theory stuff. You can look it all up. This information is available to all citizens if they care to research it. Some of this information may shock you.