Mainstream media outlets were of a lot of different minds on the Iran question earlier this week, counseling different approaches for US-Iran tensions. Friday, those outlets were broadly united, upset by the lack of a new war they thought sure was coming.
To be sure, Thursday was meant to be the start of the US-Iran War which hawks have been trying to piece together for generations. Trump ordered the attack, but ultimately, called it off a mere 10 minutes from a strike.
What had been a subject of debate was now USA Today accusing Trump of “not following through.” As concerning as blundering into a huge war in the Middle East had been, the new talking point was Trump showing weakness, and per Kori Schake of the Atlantic, damaging “America’s credibility.”
America can, after all, usually be counted on to react hastily, and stumble into what are in retrospect unfortunate wars. That Trump managed to just barely avoid the siren’s song of war was outside the expectation of American allies, and now they don’t know what to think. NBC News was quick to accuse Trump of “indecision” and declared it would “embolden Iran.”
CNN’s Samantha Vinograd accused Trump of not being able to “make up his mind,” and suggested that he’s “blown America’s credibility” by not attacking Iran.
Allies are nervous, lawmakers are on edge. The situation is “more perilous,” to hear some NBC reporters tell it, showing a lack of thoughtfulness of the issue. Surely, the most perilous state of affairs for Friday would be the first full day of a US-Iran War.
NBC News is rarely friendly to Trump, but in this case they are echoing the Wall Street Journal’s own editorial, which accused him of not being able to follow through on his “maximum pressure” campaign when that pressure was going to involve starting a war. They warned Trump’s lack of war looked “misguided and weak.”
Trump was not following the consistent calls for war from John Bolton, noted Australia’s ABC News, who noted instead that he was “siding with his electioneers,” and even suggested the talk of an earlier order to strike may have been made up.
Trump talked of proportionality, and his reluctance to kill 150 Iranians, now even Fox and Friends are crying weakness. It’s not surprising the media wasn’t thinking of killing 150 people as a problem. After all, historically death tolls in US attacks are grossly underreported, and they were on board not just for the deaths here, but those in the years of war to come.
Starting the war, after all, was supposed to be the easy part, particularly with Trump often given to bellicosity in statements. Now reporters are questioning if he has the stomach to be the sort of thoughtless war-monger everyone assumed he was going to be.
Following the aggression against Iraq, or Libya, or any of them, the corporate media war propagandists should have been tried and sentenced just like Julius Schleicher in Nuremberg, But then, the same should have happened to our governments starting wars of aggression.
never heard of him. Did you mean Streicher?
It is Schleicher, a prominent Nazi who started the Nazi paper Der Stuermer.
Incidentally Schleicher is the German word for sneaker (from sneaking).
Julius Streicher – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Streicher
Julius Streicher (12 February 1885 – 16 October 1946) was a prominent member of the Nazi Party. He was the founder and publisher of the virulently antisemitic newspaper Der Stürmer, which became a central element of the Nazi …
See, that you never heard of him is essentially the problem.
Yes, you can shill for only one war. And if not won in 1 year, apologize publicly, and get booted out of media profession.
Won or lost, war of aggression is war of aggression and some fear of serious punishment would be nice. Especially if the war is “won”.
They had all their “Iran War” propaganda ready to go. They’re just butthurt they didn’t get the ratings bonanza that a war brings.
“Awe man, we had all these posters and sh*t!…. ….I guess we’ll just have to blow up frogs to get our erections… Thanks a lot, Donny! You big baby.”
“the us news only pushes wars because of ratings”
Two phrases ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick.”” and “America’s credibility.” are now connected by the loud speakers mounted by the warmongers ( media like USA Today included ) and propped by the soft jelly tentacles reaching out to other jelly fishes in the pond that scurried away from the commotion of the Vietnam war and from signing up for Afghan and Iraq war .
One of the problems that frustrates me is the sense that many people who hate Trump will jump on ANYTHING that is critical of him. I think he should be impeached and sent to prison. But he did right by stopping an attack on Iran. And he did it for the right reasons: “proportional response”.
Trump 2020! Trump The Merciful!!!!
80,000 children that have starved to death in Yemen might disagree. But they’re dead.
Christian Zionists don’t care.
long, Christian Zionist are a very confused, and often evil, group of people. They deserve your pity.
wars, But you support and find nothing wrong with killing hundreds of thousands of babies a year in the mothers womb! You are the supreme HYPOCRITE, and you are deceived by evil,,wake up brother before it is too late!
A baby is an infant or a young child. I do not support the killing of any infant or young child. And I would be a hypocrite is I said I was against the death of children but then called the man responsible for enabling the Saudis to starve thousands of Yemen children “merciful”. So I guess that would make you the actual hypocrite.
wars, That is a baby in the Mothers womb, and you know it is, why give in to the evil deception?
baby n., 1. an infant or very young child.
He is far *less* interventionist than any other president in recent memory. That should count for a lot — but not for you zealots. No one — not even Jesus himself — would be peaceful enough for you.
But never mind about those starving children in Yemen? I continue being a zealot.
It’s always the stupidest policies that they scream for follow-through on. As for credibility, the US has always been unbelievable. Iran has always been perfectly bold and consistent, and no amount of erratic US fit-throwing and provocation-making is relevant to that.
Brian Williams wanted to gaze at our beautiful missiles & Fareed Zakaria wanted Trump to act Presidential.
Two luminaries of the MSM.
The stupidity of these comments in the press makes one’s head hurt-repeated over and over and they become a mantra for war: “lack of credibility, weak,indecisive”blah,blah.
Where is there any evidence for reflexive thought as to the consequences, the innocent casualties, the costs on both sides-there is none and that is the tragedy.
When the basic analysis is made, it is the press, the neo cons, the zionists, the owned politicians, who are the war mongers and will benefit most for moar war.
It is long past time for some movement to cut through this utter and complete BS and yes, literally save this country.
Goddammit Donny! You came this close to being “Presidential” again.
US Zionism the biggest menace in the world…….
Is there a way to have all those who have been proven propagators of lies — disqualified. Permanently. One should not have more then one war wrong.
As the new Rambos and Ramboettes, how about having them publicly apologize to the nation, when things go wrong, lives lost, our economy screwed. When will we demand some accountability on all levels for stupid, costly wars. And apologize to families of lost soldiers.
So, choosing peace is “weakness,” but promoting war and killing innocent people is “presidential.” What kind of insane world are we living in?
It’s called America, Borg, and we’re making it great again.
MSNBC’s Brian Williams in particular was extremely disappointed that he lost another chance to jerk himself off while rhapsodizing about the “beauty of our weapons” with an attack on Iran.
President Trump just performed one of the most heroic acts that I have seen from an American president in my lifetime. Against the virtually irresistible influence of the MIC, its political arm, the war party duopoly, the plotting of the Neocons, and the scorn of the cultural and media elites, he decided that the lives of 150 human beings, vile Iranian “others” no less, was more important that a fucking robot, or the small-penis egos of hollow men puffed up with “We-are-American” self-fellation and self-absorption.
Human lives over war and its profits! From an American President!? The man is a hero. In that moment of decision last night he earned his Nobel Peace Prize.
Never mind that it was his actions that led him to being able to be so heroic. Without abandoning the JCPOA, re-imposing those nasty sanctions and the 80 million “human beings” that those affected, flooding the region with military assets, designating the revolutionary guard as terrorists and threatening them with total annihilation not once but twice.Your take on heroism is as skewed as your undying loyalty to Trump.
I am so sick of this kind of thinking. Why don’t you just praise him for doing what no other president in recent memory would have had the courage to do? His policy is not perfect, but it’s far better than what has come before. Ron Paul or (God forbid) Tulsi Gabard can never be president, but Trump can. Your pacifist world will never exist; be grateful when one man who has the power to do so refuses to commit mass murder.
“be grateful when one man who has the power to do so refuses to commit mass murder.’
So we are to be grateful when a man who has already committed mass murder shows slight moderation and abstains from one act of mass murder? Thank you, Donald Trump, for being a moderate mass murderer!
I am quite grateful, but to God, not to our psychopath in chief.
What kind of thinking is that? The kind that looks at facts? He instigated everything that led up to him refusing “to commit mass murder”.
“he earned his Nobel Peace Prize.”
You mean just like Obama.
“NBC News was quick to accuse Trump of “indecision” and declared it would “embolden Iran.””
Joe Scarborough’s, Morning Joe, performance was dreadful!
On May 20, 2019 a 2-page letter was submitted to Trump and signed by 75% of your congress demanding Trump escalate military options in Syria. The reason, naturally, was to protect and defend israel and engage Iran proxies in Syria. Here’s the pdf letter including signatures of all 400 congress critters who support more war. This American government is a lost cause. The signatories include several presidential candidates.
https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/_cache/files/7/e/7ebd2b61-aa29-49ac-9991-53a53da6a57f/3163D991E047042C0F52C929A2F60231.israel-syria-letter-5-21.pdf
Real journalism, anyone?
actually the world collectively sighed with relief. trump is too easily manipulated by bombing twins bolton and pompous. its actually amazing that he managed to stop a disaster from happening. no one wants war ,or to die horribly for nothing. i suggest those reporters work at digging up a valid reason,trump is told to continue his blustering ,bullying , against iran,claiming its iran who is aggressive.