Most interesting is how the enemy (in this case the idiot Sadr) tricked (or does the press with their apparent love of the brave "resistance" even need to be tricked?) the media into believing a very good raid by Iraqi forces backed by US troops was instead an assault on a mosque. Ledeen writes:
In less than an hour, 20 bodies were laid out in a mosque nearly two miles away, and American and Iraqi journalists were invited to see the "scene" of the "massacre." A classic disinformation campaign was under way, which, at least for a while, was a more potent blow in the war than the special-forces' operation. Initial press reports (and even comments from the usually careful and restrained Iraqi blogger Zayed) spoke of an American raid against a mosque, not an Iraqi assault against a terrorist haven, and the usual claims of random killings of civilians went out on wires and airways.
It is frustrating. And it isn't even as if we could join the lying campaign to counter the enemy. Oh no. Then our press would suddenly get really interested in verifying claims and exposing lies on the front page.
And one question for the thugs. Did they save these bodies from past slaughters just in case or did they kill them just for the job at hand?
You'd think our press might like to know that.
