--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How Bush and his junta succeeded in…" description: "\"How Bush and his junta succeeded in deflecting America's anger from bin Laden to Saddam Hussein is one of the great public relations conjuring tricks o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/john-le-carre-651_america_how-bush-and-his-junta-succeeded-in-defl_1431467.jpg" --- # How Bush and his junta succeeded in deflecting America's… ![“How Bush and his junta succeeded in deflecting America's anger from bin Laden to Saddam Hussein is one of the great public relations conjuring tricks of history. But they swung it. A recent poll tells us that one in two Americans now believe Saddam was responsible for the attack on the World Trade…” quote by John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/john-le-carre-651_america_how-bush-and-his-junta-succeeded-in-defl_1431467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/john-le-carre-651_america_how-bush-and-his-junta-succeeded-in-defl_1431467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/john-le-carre-651_america_how-bush-and-his-junta-succeeded-in-defl_1431467.jpg) > “How Bush and his junta succeeded in deflecting America's anger from bin Laden to Saddam Hussein is one of the great public relations conjuring tricks of history. But they swung it. A recent poll tells us that one in two Americans now believe Saddam was responsible for the attack on the World Trade Centre.” [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The manipulation of public opinion by shifting blame from one enemy to another. **In simple terms:** Shifting blame manipulates public opinion. Key Takeaway Recognize and question political narratives. Themes politics media manipulation Mood critical skeptical inquisitive Type political analytical When to use this quote - election cycles - media coverage - foreign policy debates - public perception Key Concepts public opinion propaganda strategic deception Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify the true source of a crisis? - What responsibilities do media have in shaping opinion? A Different Perspective Counter-narratives may be suppressed or ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Deflecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deflecting/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Public relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-relations/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-trade/) ## Related quotes > [I believe Saddam Hussein's strategic objective was, and remains, to assert dominance over the Gulf region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-berger/i-believe-saddam-hussein-s-strategic-objective-was-and-remains-to/) [Sandy Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-berger/) > [If you don't believe...Saddam Hussein is a threat with nuclear weapons, then you shouldn't vote for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/if-you-don-t-believe-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-with-nuclear-weapons/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [ I believe he \[Saddam Hussein\] wants a better relationship with America. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/i-believe-he-saddam-hussein-wants-a-better-relationship-with-america/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [A huge number of Americans still believe that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11. You have a people that don't know anything about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/a-huge-number-of-americans-still-believe-that-saddam-hussein-was/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I think we had an incredible opportunity to capitalize on that right up to Libya. I think we've made a step toward something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-spurlock/i-think-we-had-an-incredible-opportunity-to-capitalize-on-that-right/) [Morgan Spurlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-spurlock/) > [Hey, aren’t we forgetting something? (Savitar) Your dignity? (Takeshi) No, you have me confused with you again. Aren’t you supposed to be training him?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/hey-aren-t-we-forgetting-something-savitar-your-dignity-takeshi-no/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [He was as needy as she was. Alvin Finch only wanted to be needed. Loved. And absent of either, he resorted to deflecting his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/he-was-as-needy-as-she-was-alvin-finch-only-wanted-to-be-needed-loved/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [It requires enormous presence of mind or rather quickness of wit, when opening your eyes to seize hold as it were of everything in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-requires-enormous-presence-of-mind-or-rather-quickness-of-wit-when/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“I've been deflecting Calypso's blushes all day. I don't have the energy to deflect yours," he said through clenched teeth. "So either block or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-mccallan/i-ve-been-deflecting-calypso-s-blushes-all-day-i-don-t-have-the/) T.L. McCallan > [Whatever outrageous dream keeps flowing across your mind, allow it to live inside you. Don't deflect it, diminish it, invalidate it or come up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/whatever-outrageous-dream-keeps-flowing-across-your-mind-allow-it-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Frankly speaking, we all know that provoking military and political instability, regional, and other conflicts is a helpful means of distracting the public from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/frankly-speaking-we-all-know-that-provoking-military-and-political/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [ \[On charity\] I try to pick subjects that I can learn about and then focus on and then do as much as I can.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/on-charity-i-try-to-pick-subjects-that-i-can-learn-about-and-then/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [“While we are expecting everybody to tell downright the truth, many are muddying the water, drowning questions in a river of words and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/while-we-are-expecting-everybody-to-tell-downright-the-truth-many-are/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [To the extent we are perceiving anyone's guilt -choosing to focus on the errors of their personality rather than the eternal innocence of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/to-the-extent-we-are-perceiving-anyone-s-guilt-choosing-to-focus-on/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The system has a way of convincing people that because they live in the USA they are better off than all other people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/the-system-has-a-way-of-convincing-people-that-because-they-live-in/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) ## More by John le Carre > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“You're history, Donohue. You think countries run the fucking world! Go back to fucking Sunday school. It's 'God save our multinational' they're singing these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/you-re-history-donohue-you-think-countries-run-the-fucking-world-go/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [When you're my age and you see a story, you better go for it pretty quickly. I'd just like to get a few more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-you-re-my-age-and-you-see-a-story-you-better-go-for-it-pretty/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Home's where you go when you run out of homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/home-s-where-you-go-when-you-run-out-of-homes/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Pain observed is journalistic pain. It's diplomatic pain. It's television pain, over as soon as you switch off your beastly set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/pain-observed-is-journalistic-pain-it-s-diplomatic-pain-it-s/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . Real heroism lies, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-greatest-threat-to-mankind-comes-from-the-renunciation-of/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“and the wood smoke will roll out of the fireplace on to the carpet we paid too much for on that rainy afternoon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/and-the-wood-smoke-will-roll-out-of-the-fireplace-on-to-the-carpet-we/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Middle children weep longer than their brothers and sisters. Over her mother’s shoulder, stilling her pains and her injured pride, Jackie Lacon watched the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/middle-children-weep-longer-than-their-brothers-and-sisters-over-her/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I happen to write by hand. I don't even type. John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-happen-to-write-by-hand-i-don-t-even-type-john-le-carre/) [John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The more identities a man has, the more they express the person they conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-more-identities-a-man-has-the-more-they-express-the-person-they/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Explore all 409 John le Carre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. 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