Why were people so easily fooled by the Iraq War?

Question

It still boggles the mind.

Answer 1

Come on,there was a serious propaganda effort where the whole political elite painted a picture of death and destruction.The majority of the people don't have the time or interest top really keep informed.Most people have to struggle from paycheck to paycheck,get food on the table for them and their family.
Any informed observer could see the claims were bogus but like prooven in history before propaganda does work.
The whole WMD story got people scared,only normal
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."
-- Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
See somethings never change.

Answer 2

You really think the American people were fooled by the reason that were given for us going into Iraq? I have to admit that I know some people who believed that whatever our political leaders wanted to do was the right thing - after all we elected them, didn't we?. And some who were so upset over 9/11 that they just wanted to get back at someone. But very few people really believed that there was a big enough reason for us to send troops into Iraq. And besides, wasn't it determined that Al Kada was/is the true enemy. Well, didn't we?
And if anyone truly believed we should be over there, as time went by and no weapons of mass destruction were found, even they figured out the truth. Which is that there were other reason (monetary and political) for invading Iraq - which is what we did.
I got another question - how would this country have reacted to another country sending troops in to do whatever it was that we/Americans went to Iraq to do? Remember, America actually does have weapons of mass destruction and we've actually used them. In fact, until just recently we were threatening others with our weapons. How would we have reacted if say, England or Iraq or Isreal or China or Korea told us we could not make the weapons that we made. But I'm sure we'll get another monument of it - wow! I'd rather have the boys back - alive.
Don't get me wrong - I Iove my country but I do not agree with so much of what the people in power are doing on our behalf that we have to back up with the lives of our loved ones.
I keep asking myself - what can I do, what can I do.....
There is no justification for what has happened. Yes, Saddam did horrible things to his countrymen. OK - the people of Iraq needed help but now they just wish we would go away.
But leaving Iraq may create another Shah of Iran situation or the situation that happened after we left Vietnam where anyone who supported or agreed openly with America being there, was murdered. Do we have a plan for that?
What a horrible situation! Possibly a no win situation. It will be interesting to see how everything is 'resolved'.
I'll be sure to stay tuned.....

Answer 3

Government used scare tactics and media manipulation to bullshitt the public into believing Saddam had WMD and that his intentions were to kill Americans with them. The American and British public swallowed this line of sheer fantasy, hook, line and sinker. Nobody likes to be made a fool of, which is precicely what Bush and Blair have done to the public which they serve.
If this scenario had been actioned by any other Governments, the leaders of those nations would now be in a dock standing trial for war crimes, but because it is the US and the UK, so called democratic, humane states, justice will never be found for the innocent victims of the Iraq war atrocity. I`m ashamed to be human sometimes, and frustrated by the fact i could`nt do anything to prevent it from happening.

Answer 4

That's a very good question. People want to believe their leaders, and often don't use critical thinking. The Bush administration used fear tactics to get the people behind them. Fear is a powerful thing. They lied about weapons of mass destruction. They made the people believe that Iraq was behind 9/11 and that taking out Saddam would end terrorist threats. It was all manipulation and lies, but it was what the people wanted to believe.

I still find it astonishing and sad that people are so reluctant to question, so trusting of anyone in a position of power, or that those we elect can be so corrupt and still be re-elected. When Bush had such high ratings in the polls I could not believe that people couldn't see through the lies. But we want to see the good in our leaders. We don't want to believe that we can be so easily deceived. And when you throw in the religeous right element and tell us that we are being unpatriotic if we disagree or that if we aren't with them (our leaders) we are against them, well, most of the people will not trust their own judgement. Instead, they will just follow along like misled sheep.

Maybe next time they won't be so quick to follow. Maybe they will use some critical thinking, question. reason things out for themselves. But I doubt it.

Answer 5

We were lied to. Plain and simple. Bush manipulated our emotions after the terrible tragedies of 9-11, and convinced people to support a war that he was dying to start since before taking office.

In particular, there was a lot of misinformation going around. A lot of people who watch Fox news still believe that Saddam Hussein was connected to 9-11, or at least to Al-Queda. This has still been insinuated by people in the administration, even after the findings of the 9-11 commission.

We were also told that there were chemical and biological weapons in Iraq, which was a blatant lie.

Answer 6

Why are people still being so easily fooled by the Iraq war? Why do people think the Iraqis are so backward they can't except democracy. Why do people think the Iraq war has been a complete failure? Why do people believe they are so smart they are the only ones that can see reality?

Answer 7

It is a complete failure, and I don't know what the USA has gotten out of it all.

That's what happens when you try to force "democracy" on people who didn't ask for our help in the first place. Saddam was a tyrant who had the country under control. Now they just have a country with tribes who are at war to kill each other. Now they are taking our soldiers down at the same time. Tragic!

Answer 8

I think one of the major factors is becoming more evident each day.

There are three distinct religious factions in Iraq - the Sunnis, the Shiites and the Kurds. I think pretty much everyone underestimated the extent of the hatred and ferocity between these groups - let alone their apparent total disregard for human life.

Live and let live as well as any resemblance of tolerance are just things that these people simply don't understand, period.
And, unfortunately, our understanding of this fact was equally as misunderstood.

These different factions make the Hatfields and McCoys look like lifelong, bosom buddies.

Answer 9

Oh stop the whining if it was a Democrat president we would not have so many whiners. When Clinton went into Bosnia I don't remember any democrat bitching about it and republicans did not spend everyday trying to undermine it, that's the main difference.

Answer 10

This is one of the easiest questions to answer. People desire easy answers to complex issues. It is called intellectual laziness. It is one of the oldest tricks in the book of Political Dogma. Tell the people what they want to hear. Create an all powerful boogeyman, and scare the hell out of them. Repeat a lie, until they are so familiar with it that they become comfortable with the mendacity.