2008 Woodie Awards
Bush's Iraq Plan Leads America, Troops to Uncertain Future
Katherine Jones
Issue date: 1/18/07 Section: Opinion
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I first watched as Colin Powell and the rest of the Bush administration pulled out all the stops to convince the United Nations and everyone watching that an invasion of Iraq was necessary to protect the homeland.
I then watched the evening of "Shock and Awe," a media frenzy surrounding the invasion of U.S. forces into Baghdad-an invasion that I would hope is now regrettably named. It was much like a fireworks display; the focus was on the "booms" and the "lights." I just kept thinking about the people who didn't see it coming, the people standing where those bombs were dropped.
I then watched as ignorant members of this country poured wine into street gutters and renamed the much-loved deep-fried potato the "freedom fry" because France denied us military aid. In their simple minds, I'm sure these Americans thought they were making a strong statement to the French.
It's funny that the French fry isn't French at all, but rather a term coined by our own president, Thomas Jefferson. And as for the wine, I'm pretty sure being wasteful wasn't going to cause some miraculous enlistment from the French.
After that embarrassment was the mass production of the "United We Stand" campaign. Here's where things got really tricky.
Suddenly, support of the war began to merge with patriotism. And, if you so much as questioned the war or the decisions coming out of the White House, others questioned you and your love for your country. What a statement about the power of advertising (not to mention the famous "W" stickers).
Until recently, I wasn't personally affected by the war. But in October 2006, my friend was sent to Iraq. I thought for a moment that I would look at this war differently, perhaps in a more positive light, now that someone I loved was there.
However, it just made me angrier to think that one day my children will ask me how the war started. How did this great nation's leaders manage to pull the wool over an entire country's eyes? I'm not sure what I will say.
I then watched the evening of "Shock and Awe," a media frenzy surrounding the invasion of U.S. forces into Baghdad-an invasion that I would hope is now regrettably named. It was much like a fireworks display; the focus was on the "booms" and the "lights." I just kept thinking about the people who didn't see it coming, the people standing where those bombs were dropped.
I then watched as ignorant members of this country poured wine into street gutters and renamed the much-loved deep-fried potato the "freedom fry" because France denied us military aid. In their simple minds, I'm sure these Americans thought they were making a strong statement to the French.
It's funny that the French fry isn't French at all, but rather a term coined by our own president, Thomas Jefferson. And as for the wine, I'm pretty sure being wasteful wasn't going to cause some miraculous enlistment from the French.
After that embarrassment was the mass production of the "United We Stand" campaign. Here's where things got really tricky.
Suddenly, support of the war began to merge with patriotism. And, if you so much as questioned the war or the decisions coming out of the White House, others questioned you and your love for your country. What a statement about the power of advertising (not to mention the famous "W" stickers).
Until recently, I wasn't personally affected by the war. But in October 2006, my friend was sent to Iraq. I thought for a moment that I would look at this war differently, perhaps in a more positive light, now that someone I loved was there.
However, it just made me angrier to think that one day my children will ask me how the war started. How did this great nation's leaders manage to pull the wool over an entire country's eyes? I'm not sure what I will say.
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