Good article.
I wish you had mentioned "operation Northwoods" as well. This was operational policy and it sets the tone of just how insane these folks are. These guys have obtained a psychopathic attitude to their role that should be regarded as criminal in any sane society.
The media's role is just as criminal: Iraq was an excellent example of the lies being pretty obvious the whole time, yet the media played the “Narrative” with a straight face! Some of the BS was so stunningly obvious I kept waiting for someone to crack...but all resistance was marginalised and labelled "Left wing paranoia"...and it worked!! Holy C#%p are we *really* that stupid? Sadly in Howard's Australia and Bush's USA, yes, we really were that stupid. Has anything improved? Nope. All current politicians *still* hold the US oil company line.
I still remember Howard saying "I've seen the evidence of WMDs and we need to go in for the safety of the world...blah". I guess Americans are used to this but I found it quite disgusting that *our* PM would beat the jingoistic war drums, and be allowed to lie and get away with it.
I wish our media would start calling it like it is:
Occupation of oil rich countries is *not* "defence".
"Contractors" with guns are called Mercenaries.
"Collateral damage" is "civilian deaths"
"information warfare" is lying for our side.
Iraq was about oil. They have all but admitted it.
Apologies are due from those who called opponents "cynical", "ignorant" or just "Anti-US". Too many misconceptions have been allowed to ride and remain part of popular culture because some US general wanted them there.
God help us if we let US military educate us as to world events!