THE MYTH THAT SCHEER BUILT: Bryan Keefer continues the ongoing Spinsanity effort to track the "Taliban aid trope":
The myth, spawned by Robert Scheer in May 2001 and widely repeated since, suggests that the United States gave $43 million in aid directly to the Taliban in 2001 as a reward for the government's ban on opium poppy cultivation. In fact, the $43 million was given to food aid and food security programs administered through non-governmental organizations and the United Nations to help relieve famine in Afghanistan. The myth was debunked at the time by Leftwatch.com and later by us. However, the Taliban's relevance after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks sparked a surge of repetitions, which we and others have continued to debunk.
| Author/ Affiliation |
Title/ Date |
words | PI | Partisan References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Krugman New York Times |
Funds and Games 18 November 2003 |
797 | 100 | 1D+: Eliot Spitzer 1R-: administration |
| Molly Ivins Creators Syndicate |
Sins of omission 18 November 2003 |
973 | 100 | 2D+: Clinton, Ted Kennedy 15R-: Bush administration, Bushies, Bushies, administration, Bush, administration, the president, Bushies, administration, Republicans, Senate Republicans, Bush administration, administration, administration, Bush administration |
| Robert Scheer Creators Syndicate |
There's something happening here 18 November 2003 |
826 | 100 | 1R-: President Bush |
| Brendan Miniter WSJ OpinionJournal |
Why the Dems Are Losing 18 November 2003 |
1034 | 58 | 3D+: Howard Dean, Gephardt, Hillary Clinton 17D-: Dems, Democrats, Clinton, Sidney Blumenthal, Democrats, Democratic, Democrats, Democrats, Democrats, Max Cleland, Senate Democratic, Democrats, Democratic, John Kerry, Dick Gephardt, John Edwards, Wesley Clark 4R+: President Bush, Bush administration, Attorney General John Ashcroft, the president 6D=, 1R= |
| Thomas Oliphant Boston Globe |
Bush readies more tax breaks 18 November 2003 |
1066 | 56 | 10D+: John Edwards, Edwards, John Kerry, Edwards, Edwards, Edwards, Joe Lieberman, Kerry, Edwards, Democratic 4D-: Howard Dean, Edwards, Dean, Dick Gephardt 8R-: Bush, Treasury Secretary John Snow, President Bush, Bush, Bush, The president, Bush, Bush 3D= |
| David Ignatius Inactive |
Toward a Smoother Transition 18 November 2003 |
866 | 0 | 2D=, 3R= |
| Richard Cohen Washington Post |
Leave No Teacher Behind 18 November 2003 |
846 | 0 | 2R= |
| E. J. Dionne Jr. Washington Post |
Medicare Monstrosity 18 November 2003 |
878 | 0 | 4D+: Democrats, Democrats, Ted Kennedy, Kennedy 3D-: Democratic, John Breaux, Max Baucus 2R+: Republican, Republicans 1R-: Republican |
| David Brooks New York Times |
Stuff and Nonsense 18 November 2003 |
831 | 0 | |
| Thomas Sowell Creators Syndicate |
Letters about medical care 18 November 2003 |
741 | 0 |