PressEthic

The recently declassified National Intellience Estimate summary contains plenty of information contradicting what the public hears from the Bush administration. The mainstream media has focused largely on the idea that the war in Iraq is a "cause celebre," "breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world."

To date I have only heard one mention of what I see as the most important part of the summary. Contrary to the standard line the public has been fed about how "they hate our freedom," the NIE states that the ideology of the groups that are fighting America is based in politics, not "evilness," or even religion. Brian Lehrer of WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show brought this up yesterday, reading a direct quotation from the released document:

Four underlying factors are fueling the spread of the jihadist movement: (1) Entrenched grievances, such as corruption, injustice, and fear of Western domination, leading to anger, humiliation, and a sense of powerlessness; (2) the Iraq "jihad;" (3) the slow pace of real and sustained economic, social, and political reforms in many Muslim majority nations; and (4) pervasive anti-US sentiment among most Muslims - all of which jihadists exploit.

Note that there is no mention of religious fanaticism, or establishing a worldwide caliphate, or hating people for not being Muslim. "They hate our freedom," is not on this list, either.

Here is an opportunity to give the public a more educated understanding of the cause of the conflict. Perhaps it is simply too late to repair the damage done by taking the government's words at face value for so long.