The Nature of truth
With elections looming, and the battle in the
media over the rights and wrongs of the Iraq war very prominent, does truth
matter any more, or is truth merely a commodity which can just be reshaped to
suit the occasion, or even created just by asserting something is so - over and
over?
George Bush's assertion, after months of an
enquiry into the 9/11 disaster in the U.S. came to the conclusion that there
was no link between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, was simply that there was a
link. Full stop. No refuting of evidence tendered, no specific examples of
contact proffered, and nothing new to add. As unsubtle as it gets. The
Australian parliament, like most Westminister systems, has a question time,
which is not particularly revealing, but which does put ministers and Prime
Ministers in a position where hard questions can be put, although the dexterity
with which questions are evaded, distorted and twisted have become an art form.
The embarrassing questions about why the Australian Government seemed to know
nothing about the Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal until the recent world wide
release of the photographs, while the defence personnel seemed to have plenty of
information on the subject, would seem to be ones which would cause the
government well deserved discomfort, so what to do? Simple, ignore the question
and accuse the opposition of suggesting that Australian troops were involved in
the torture. Repeat whenever the question is asked. While this serves to avoid
answering the questions, the tactic is obvious, and the outside observer can see
for themselves what is happening, and draw their own conclusions. George Bush
does not face public questions though, apart from the occasional stage managed
press conference. Bush chooses who will ask the questions, and even if he makes
a mess of an answer, there is no follow up. But does it matter? Bush supporters
will support him, no matter how obvious the lies, or how many are told. Recent
events in Iraq serve to raise the issue of truth, as it has all along, with the
installation of an 'interim' government, providing 'sovereignty" for the Iraqi
people. Among the first announcements the new government has made, is their
assertion that are prepared to declare martial law to enable firm control over
'insurgents' , a level of auhoritarism which even the tyrant Saddam didn't need
to resort to. Various inquiries, agonizingly conducted over months, stretching
to years, have dragged out details of lies and distortions that many of us knew
to be there from the beginning, though perhaps the full extent of the
manipulation emerging has surprised even the most cynical of us. Eventually, the
one powerful weapon the powerless have is the judgment of history, and there is
little doubt that history will condemn this most disgusting and manipulative of
wars. History cannot, unfortunately, atone for all of the innocent lives lost,
and the long term consequences of this senseless blunder have yet to be played
out. Meanwhile, truth will reside in the perception of the
receivers.
Posted: Thu - September 21, 2006 at 04:50 PM
