Day of Shame, 8th Anniversary

[Crossposted at dayofshame.com and correntewire.com]

Eight years ago today, Colin Powell delivered a set of the most transparent lies imaginable, and our pundit class swooned... and thereby condemned tens of thousands of Iraqis and sent thousands of Americans to their deaths, and some trillions of taxpayers' dollars down a sinkhole of sin.

What has been learned from this? Only, apparently, that there's no limit to the ability of cynical politics and sycophantic "journalism" to create the American reality, and pretty much no one minds very much, no matter how inhuman the ends.

Perhaps one of President Obama's supposed endings of the war may turn out to be bona fide. Either way, one wonders (or ought to), where is the national look in the mirror about this crime, this mockery of truth, decency, and common sense?

Here, from the 2011 State of the Union address, is how our Nobel Peace Prize-winning president speaks of the Iraq War, one he was marketed as being wisely and bravely against.

And so we must defeat determined enemies, wherever they are, and build coalitions that cut across lines of region and race and religion. And America's moral example must always shine for all who yearn for freedom and justice and dignity. And because we've begun this work, tonight we can say that American leadership has been renewed and America's standing has been restored.

Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and women have left with their heads held high. (Applause.) American combat patrols have ended, violence is down, and a new government has been formed. This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. America's commitment has been kept. The Iraq war is coming to an end. (Applause.)

Of course, as we speak, al Qaeda and their affiliates continue to plan attacks against us.

Why was there not a nationwide flood of vomit when George W. Bush's successor framed the outrage that is the Iraq War—even its putative ending—in such whitewashed terms... and concluding, as the war began, with the conflation between Iraq and Al Qaeda?

At long last, has America no sense of shame? Sadly, it has all but none.