4.13.2006

Site for Iraq docs

For those who don't know yet, this website is the venue where the US govt is releasing gradually some of the contents of their 35,000 boxes of documents and audio captured in Iraq.

ABC has been doing a good job of sifting through the info and writing it up. Their editor's notes are a very positive component, helping to place the information in context, and to give its significance.

The last lot of documents appears clearly more significant than the first lot, and their editor's notes reflect that. As I've said before, some observers jump uncritically on any document/audio surfacing from Iraq and take little or no caution to research and weigh its significance carefully, and put it in appropriate context. Unfortunately these folks are often conservatives, including some prominent talking heads who have no time to prepare properly apparently, before pontificating on television. As one email I obtained indicates, some of these people, as prominent as they are, simply email someone they think knows the lowdown, and asks them to "plz rush" them talking points for their imminent appearance on Fox News!

One frustrated terrorism expert complained to me that these folks, in their haste, are seriously undermining the case they are trying to make to the public.