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<div>A Vision2020 subscriber who wished to be anonymous in this case has given permission to post a recent "Off List" discussion:</div>
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<div>From Ted:</div>
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<div>I really don't think an attack on Iran will be used as an October surprise. <br>There are too many downsides to this tactic, disruption of oil supplies<br>among them. But still, if it is true that an aircraft carrier group is
<br>headed to waters off Iran, what is up? Of course this might just be a <br>rehearsal for potential war with Iran. After all, the US military is<br>positioned in numerous places on the planet just to be ready for potential
<br>war...<br><br>However, if it looks like the Republicans will lose big in November, the US <br>could provoke an Iranian military response and use this as an excuse for<br>limited attacks, maybe against Iranian nuclear facilities. If this
<br>happened close to the election, the oil disruptions might not influence the election <br>because the effects would be felt after.</div>
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<div>From anonymous Vision2020 subscriber:</div>
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<div>I don't know if it's my being partisan or not, but I think there's no gutter<br>this White House won't leap into, and no policy, no matter how destructive, <br>that they won't adopt if it suits their ends. So I can't think they won't
<br>attack Iran. I hope they won't, but I can't put it past them. Even if<br>their reasons are later debunked, the 'rally 'round the flag' effect may <br>work for them before the election.<br><br>Regarding your recent comments about Chomsky and Hermann's 'Manufacturing
<br>Consent,' I think you're correct about news coverage and lack of critical<br>analysis on the part of the media, and I think if there's an Iran attack, <br>that's what we'll witness in coverage of such an event, at least in the
<br>short run.<br><br>You're correct that there was all sort of information available about the<br>WH's pre-war claims about Iraq's WMD capabilities, and these were <br>marginalized (at least I think that's what you were saying.)
<br><br>I find claims by Republicans that the Dems are politicizing the Foley scandal </div>
<div>amusing when I look at the WH. Do the Rs claim they were not engaging in </div>
<div>politics when they held the Iraq War vote in October or November, right before </div>
<div>an election? Of course they were! They knew the Dems would fold, with a few </div>
<div>exceptions, and it was pure politics.</div>
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<div>From Ted:</div>
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<div>Why not post your comments on "Manufacturing Consent" to the list? </div>
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<div>Vision2020 is about discussion of critical issues in public. Many of the "Off List" discussions are a waste of time from this viewpoint.</div>
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<div>It is discouraging to witness the lack of response on Vision2020 regarding how political opinion is manipulated in the USA revealed in "Manufacturing Consent."</div>
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<div>Vision2020 is often "Visionless2020."</div>
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<div>Noam Chomsky is one of the most brilliant political thinkers of our time. To not see a varied and prolific response to the mention of his ideas on Vision2020, regarding how media filters have controlled, and are now controlling, how we will vote, is, frankly, shocking!
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<div>I was just watching CNN, FOX and MSNBC news networks, and what were the stories discussed at the same time on all networks? Madonna's adoption, and John Mark Karr, who was involved in the Jon Benet murder investigation.
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<div>I was appalled at the yellow journalism focus, ignoring substantive critical issues.</div>
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<div>Your comments on "Manufacturing Consent" could be a boost to discussion regarding how our democracy should insist on the obligation of the "fourth estate," journalism, to educate the public about facts and issues that are critical, rather than feeding them crap about yellow journalism infotainment.
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<div>Feel free to forward this rant to the list, if you want. I may send it myself, deleting references to your name to respect the fact that you may have chosen not to send your comments on "Manufacturing Consent" to the list for your own personal reasons.
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<div>Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett</div></div>
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