DEBATE OVER IRAQ WAR FUELED BY PROPAGANDA

I'm writing about Christopher Clukey's letter "No comparison on Iraq,
U. S. human rights," which ran on Jan. 11, 2004.

As to why American's support Bush's war in Iraq and our war on drugs, I
suggest the readers read "The Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and
Abuse of Persuasion" by Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson. I suggest
the readers start with chapter 37, "Propaganda and the Third Reich." The
readers can see the close parallels between the techniques that both
Hitler and Bush have used to garner support for war.

Also, I believe this quote from Hermann Goering, the number two man in
Nazi Germany, is very insightful. He made it on April 18, 1946, while
awaiting the Nuremberg trials:

"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on
a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of
it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common
people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that
matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the
leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a
simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or
a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.
Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of
the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are
being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism
and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

Kirk Muse,

Mesa, Ariz.