Lying For Empire

Presidents tell lies to justify wars, to cover up wars and to excuse some of the worst atrocities in history. In this provocative study of eight presidents, David Model shows why presidents just can’t stop themselves from lying–and what happens to the world when they do. You’ll meet: Harry Truman–famed role model of many presidential candidates–who torched whole cities with nukes just to score diplomatic points with the Russians. Even high-ranking military officials expressed revulsion. Dwight Eisenhower, famous for warning against the “military industrial complex” had no compunction against using it to topple democracy in Guatemala. Aided by propaganda and dirty tricks he convinced Guatemala’s leadership that an invasion had taken place. Lyndon Johnson relentlessly attacked South Vietnam, the country he claimed we were saving. No study of presidential propaganda can omit Richard Nixon’s bombing of Cambodia, a major crime against humanity that, strangely, didn’t appear in the articles of impeachment being prepared by Congress prior to his resignation. From the arms for hostages deal that he claimed wasn’t true and then admitted that the facts contradicted what he wanted to believe to the Contra war waged to topple Nicaragua’s government, Ronald Reagan set the standard for presidents to come. George H. Bush provides a useful lesson in diplomacy when planning war: head off negotiations at any cost. While he could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, he shunned every effort by the international community to broker a peaceful resolution. Not to be outdone in service to empire, Bill Clinton managed to paint bombing Serbia and killing civilians as an effort to save them. George W Bush, the final president reviewed in this study sets new standards for brazenness in lying over his invasion of Iraq. David Model offers strong evidence that George W. Bush is a psychopath and suggests that other presidents may have similar tendencies. It seems to be part of the job description for the highest office in the land.