Friday, June 27, 2003

We went to war under false circumstances

By NORMAN READ
GUEST COLUMNIST

There's been a subtle change in the White House message lately. George W. Bush has begun speaking about being certain we'll find an Iraqi weapons program.

Finding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction proved to be difficult for a couple of reasons. They haven't existed in any threatening quantity in the past few years. The incompetent attempts by the Bush government to facilitate the manufacture of evidence for their existence have been a failure.

The Bush government's PR strategy is admirable in that it is breathtakingly bold. It depends to a high degree on adaptability, and it shows a high dependence on flexibility. These are the qualities that made the successful early armored thrusts of the German army so distinctive in World War II.