From Iraq, the Times reports “8 Civilians Killed in 2 Disputed Attacks”– one of the them being an American airstrike on a wife and three kids in Tikrit. Iraqi officials confirm the airstrike and the victims; the US military says it killed an “Al Qaeda terrorist” who fired on US troops, and claimed no others were killed in the bombing. The differing accounts aren’t going to be reconciled here. But it was noteworthy that the Gulf Daily News, linked from Juan Cole’s blog, puts the story on its front page, in tabloid headlines: “FAMILY IS WIPED OUT BY US.”

Whatever the truth, (and I’m not sure what motive Iraqi officials would have to misrepresent the facts) it seems clear that the Gulf Daily News editors are giving their readers what their readers expect, what they want to read: stories of American atrocities against innocent Arabs. Something to ponder next time you are told knowingly by some AEI TV talking head that the Arabs need and welcome our Iraqi presence, how they are really terrified of Iran, etc.