I get that feeling fairly often. Sometimes I’m just being paranoid. Hey,
nobody’s perfect. But other times that skeptical light bulb goes off for
a good reason.

A little historical perspective. Here are two important events, each
reported -- and accepted -- as authentic fact at the time. Each was in
reality an elaborate deception planned at the highest levels and
executed to sway public opinion.

August 2nd 1964. In the Gulf of Tonkin, North Vietnamese torpedo boats
attack the U.S. destroyer Maddox. The Associated Press story for some
reason is datelined Pearl Harbor. The lead: “Three PT boats, identified
by Secretary of State Dean Rusk…as North Vietnamese, attacked…” Later a
second U.S. destroyer is attacked.

Although no U.S. sailor suffers a scratch, the American public is
outraged. President Lyndon Johnson goes on television to ask the country
to support war action. Two days later the Tonkin Gulf Resolution is
approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, unanimously. Then by the
Senate, 88-2.

The resolution becomes the entire justification for the United States'
war against Vietnam. Before that’s over 58,000 American soldiers and
almost three million Vietnamese die.

One small problem. There never were any PT (patrol torpedo) boats. The
events never happened.

As Secretary of State Rusk, the president, and Defence Secretary Robert
McNamara knew. They knew because they planned the deception.

One source for this is former Admiral James Stockdale in his book In
Love and War. On the night in question Stockdale was at the controls of
a Sabre jet flying cover for the two destroyers. He saw nothing.

Another source is Ben Bradlee, much-respected former managing editor of
the Washington Post. Bradlee, in a public lecture in England in April
1987, states: "The ‘facts’ behind this critically important resolution
were quite simply…lies.”

August 2nd 1990. Iraq attacks Kuwait, claiming the Kuwaitis are
slant-drilling into Iraq’s oilfields. U.S. president George Bush pushes
for a land war against Iraq. But polls show the U.S. public is split
50-50 on that idea.

Then comes this eyewitness testimony before a Congressional committee.
From a 15-year-old Kuwaiti girl who cannot be identified for fear of
reprisals:

[VIDEO CLIP of emotionally-distraught teenager, fighting back tears, her
voice shaking: “While I was there I saw the Iraqi soldiers come into the
hospital with guns. They took the babies out of the incubators (her
voice breaks; there’s a long pause while she sniffles and wipes tears
from her eyes), took the incubators, and left the children to die (her
voice rises tremulously into crying) on the cold floor.”]

The U.S. public is outraged. Support for land war zooms. It’s a turning
point. Desert Storm is launched.

One hundred and thirty-five thousand Iraqis are killed. Large numbers
die since from sanctions still in effect.

One small problem. There never were any incubator baby deaths. Not one.

The CBC’s the fifth estate reveals the girl was the Kuwaiti ambassador’s
daughter, given her lines and coached in acting by the giant PR firm
Hill & Knowlton. This was one phase of a ten-million-dollar joint
U.S.-Kuwaiti campaign of deception. This man is lying.

[VIDEO CLIP of man testifying before a special public session of the
United Nations: “I myself buried 14 newborn babies that had been taken
from their incubators.”]

This man is lying.

[VIDEO CLIP of U.S. president George Bush: “…kids in incubators and they
were thrown out of the incubators so that Kuwait could be systematically
dismantled.”]

There were a lot of people in on what can fairly be described as a
conspiracy of fake organizations, false documents, fraud and
disinformation.

Now fast forward to a week ago Sunday. I’m watching the CBC television
news. The Israelis have easily intercepted a ship for some reason
crammed openly with munitions. I’m thinking: this is fishy. Now
something rare happens…

[THREE VIDEO CLIPS back to back from the TVOntario current affairs
program Studio 2:
[#1 “It’s almost impossible this ship would have escaped detection.” –
Prof. Janice Stein of The University of Toronto
[#2 “I mean the thing is bizarre.” -- Richard Gwyn of The Toronto Star
[#3 “It’s crazy and it looks like the whole thing was a setup of some
sort.” -- Eric Margolis of The Toronto Sun]

Another surprise. The Globe and Mail finds the event “particularly odd”
and quotes “a widespread Palestinian view” that there’s “something
deeply suspicious about the hugely publicized interception,” that “the
Israeli government may have orchestrated.”

Now, I’m not saying that I’ve got inside dope to prove or disprove the
munitions caper. I am saying governments concoct elaborate deceptions
for political ends. I am saying that the media have been suckered many
times.

I dare to hope some journalists at least are returning to one of their
most important roles. That of professional skeptics.

If they are, their investigative work has to kick in earlier -- early
enough to make an impact on public opinion. So that in the world of
illusion unfolding before our very eyes, they can catch what the
anarchist writer Bakunin called “the Propaganda of the Act” -- in the
act.