American people Quote by Laurence Silberman
“In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make the horrendous charge that President Bush lied to or deceived the American people about the threat from Saddam.”
About This Quote
Criticizing the Iraq war as a mistake is acceptable, but accusing President Bush of deliberately lying to the public about Saddam's threat is a much more serious charge.
In simple terms: Disagreeing with a war is different from accusing leaders of lying.
Key Takeaway
Distinguish policy disagreement from accusations of dishonesty.
Themes
politics
war
truth
accusation
leadership
Mood
serious
analytical
cautionary
Type
political commentary
argumentative
When to use this quote
- political debate
- historical analysis
- journalism
Key Concepts
political rhetoric
accountability
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate between poor judgment and deliberate deception?
- What evidence would prove lying?
A Different Perspective
The line between mistake and deception can be blurry in complex decision-making.
![“You can see examples of this, such as where [George W.] Bush lied to the public, and as a result 72 percent of America was in favor of the Iraqi invasion. Yet now the truth has presented itself and they are trying to save face by appealing to the public's national-istic persona, talking about…” quote by Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/155/leonard-peltier-13445_america_you-can-see-examples-of-this-such-as-whe_2315080.jpg)
