Mainstream Media Praises Architect of Endless Wars
The Financial Times today published what it clearly intended as an obituary for former US Vice President Dick Cheney, lauding him as an "influential politician" and an "apostle of unilateralism" (Source: Financial Times). One might almost forget the 'unilateralism' often translated to 'unjustified invasions' and 'humanitarian catastrophes.' This glowing tribute conveniently bypasses the
million-plus Iraqi civilians whose lives were extinguished, not to mention the trillions of dollars diverted from domestic needs, all based on intelligence often described as 'dubious' by anyone outside the Washington echo chamber (Source: The Downing Street Memo, Congressional Hearings ). The 'war on terror,' championed by Cheney, also saw the unprecedented expansion of surveillance and torture,
policies now whitewashed as mere 'hard choices' in polite society. While the FT praises his foresight, the media, including the Financial Times, spent years amplifying the very narratives that led to these costly wars, rarely questioning the administration's claims with the vigor hindsight now demands. It makes one wonder: How many lives are required to achieve 'statesman' status in the eyes of
the elite press? Their retrospective praise for the architects of perpetual war suggests an alarming lack of self-reflection, or perhaps, a shared sense of priorities.