Welcome back to the Woz Report deep dive. In Part 1, we explored the history of propaganda up until the end of the Cold War. In Part 2, we’ll examine how propaganda has shaped the early 21st century, including the role of journalists in disseminating government communications.
By the turn of the century, Western leaders were optimistic about forging lasting relations with Russia. On 9 August 1999, Boris Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Putin, a 46-year-old former KGB agent, as prime minister. Nearly 25 years later, relations have never been so fragile. Before delving into Russia's propaganda machine, we must first turn to the Middle East.
Iraq and the lies
Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The build-up to the invasion was justified by the alleged existence of Saddam Hussein’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) - which did not exist. On 18 March 2003, the UK House of Commons approved military intervention in Iraq (412 in favour, 149 against).
President George W. Bush coined the term "the global war on terror." Independent and governmental commissions found no factual basis for Bush’s claims about Iraq's WMDs or their links to terrorism. This powerful message not only alarmed the nation but also America’s allies.
Peter Oborne, in his article "When Journalists Act as State Propagandists," highlights how senior British journalists uncritically passed on government lies. "Not one of the British journalists who published Sir Tony’s lies and falsehoods about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction has suffered professionally. Many have gone on to greater things. Meanwhile, those who revealed the illegality and barbarism of the war have suffered. Julian Assange, who exposed many of the war crimes committed by US forces, now languishes in jail" (Oborne, Declassified UK).
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