Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq was reviewed in today's SF Chronicle. The article caught my eye since I have been having a sinking feeling that the techniques that I have been using to come to a putatively well-considered consideration of political issues are not up to the task of countering the culture and sophistication of spin (i.e., propaganda) practiced in this world. I haven't come to any conclusions yet about WMDs, the war in Iraq -- that is, what the heck is really going on, whom can I trust, am I just being paranoid.

The book goes on my "maybe read" list -- not because I don't think it will useful to read -- but because I need to figure out what I need to focus on right now. I'm not sure I should invest the effort it will take to get to the bottom of these issues right now. (It pains me to say that because American foreign policy, not to mention just the core issues of war, life, death, and justice, are so important for us as a society to wrestle with.)