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A Strange Understanding of Accountability

Simon Jenkins notices that there has been more accountability in Britain for the phone-hacking scandal than there has been for the Libyan war: Parliament, silent and feeble over interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, has spent three weeks beating its chest over the Murdoch press, even summoning the prime minister back from abroad to answer for […]

Simon Jenkins notices that there has been more accountability in Britain for the phone-hacking scandal than there has been for the Libyan war:

Parliament, silent and feeble over interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, has spent three weeks beating its chest over the Murdoch press, even summoning the prime minister back from abroad to answer for his actions. It never summoned him over Libya, where every night people die. Parliament fiddles while Libya burns.

This is something that occurred to me when the phone-hacking story was at its height. Cameron was associated with some disreputable Murdoch people who engaged in criminal activity before he employed one of them, and the press was filled with damning editorials and scathing criticism of Cameron’s bad judgment. Murdoch, too, has faced more scrutiny and accountability for the illegal activities of his employees than he ever did when his media empire was pushing for the invasion of Iraq. As outrageous as the phone-hacking scandal was, as far as I know no one ever died as a result, and Cameron’s personal responsibility in the entire scandal was negligible if he had any at all. When it came to deciding to initiate a war against another government, Cameron was there leading the charge. Instead of grilling him over his planning (or lack thereof) for how the war would be won or what would follow the conclusion of the war Parliament lamely acquiesced in everything his government has done. Then again, at least Cameron sought and received approval from Parliament for his misadventure. As the Libyan war drags on into day 137, the same cannot be said for Obama.

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