Debbie Does Baghdad

Paul at Powerline makes an important point on the reporting of the war. I'd go further: there's only two stories the media carries about the war:

• The 'Aliens' Story: Barely-trained US child soldiers being systematically slaughtered by deadly, unseen jihadi ninjas
• The 'Platoon' Story: Heavily armed uSS troops descending on innocent villages and slaughtering the defenceless inhabitants

I see a certain contradiction here. I mean, surely every now and again, while US Forces are raining down fire on wedding parties, kitten hospitals or bus loads of pregnant women, a round must drop short and kill a jihadi, but no: ask about Allied casaulties and the media can talk all day, but dead baddies ? Naaah, can't help you mate, but we do have a special offer on 'grieving parents'...

This is what the media panjandrums mean when they talk about their vital role in providing nuance and context - unlike those horrid bloggers! - endless reports of Allied soldiers either being killed or bombing baby elephants for no reason whatsoever. Porno movies have more backstory than the average report from Iraq.