Terrorist Media Manipulation

James Taranto posted this message from an American officer in Iraq:

The media manipulation by the insurgents is brilliant and extremely effective. The press has become a puppet for the insurgents; the insurgents know exactly what they are doing with these "massacres" (quoted here because the investigation has not been completed, nor have any charges been filed) and the political nightmare they will cause the current administration. Bodies are produced for film, and there is zero fact-checking by the media--the media eat up this "news" like there is no tomorrow. A couple of hundred bucks paid by the insurgents to a few guys/ladies in the town where this "massacre" occurred to make up some bad news and pine for the BBC's or CBS's or whoever's cameras is a nice month's salary for many and money well spent by the insurgency.

Its what I've been saying, don't be surprised by thses false and unconfirmed reports of US "atrocities". The enemy knows that cowing the media is the only way to defeat us, as well as weakening the public will to fight on. "This too will pass".