PrintNYT and WaPo publish diametrically opposed accounts
What universe does the New York Times report from? Their version of an attack against insurgents in Iraq focuses on claims that only civilians were killed — ignoring the fact that rival tribes exist in the area and that one tribe is supporting the insurgents. Can we guess that those are the people that the Times reporters interviewed?
The entire focus of the Times report is that the US military is aggresively killing innocent civilians and have no support from local natives. The report of a mistargeted house is eerily similar to a similar claim about a home in Afghanistan being attcked during a purported family celebration, by the way. The Times report is a picture of American stupidity, incompetency, bloodthirstiness, and ignorance and resistance from native Iraqis.
The Washington Post report, on the other hand, depicts the battle as being Sunni—led and leads off its account with a proud statement by a Sunni leader that it was an unprecedented push by the Sunni Arab tribe to drive out Zarqawi's foreign—led forces. The Post:
Ali Rawi, an emergency room director in the border city of Qaim said at least 56 people—the majority of them apparently followers of Zarqawi were killed.
The Post noticed these foreign fighters had killed many members of the Sunni tribe for supporting the Iraqi government and the Americans. The post also noticed that the Sunnis were vowing to come out in force—to exercise their democratic rights. The Post painted an optimistic picture of Sunnis cooperating with Americans, with Sunni and American forces successfully eliminating foreign—terrorists, and with Sunnis eager to democratize.
Ed Lasky 8 31 05
