Does anyone else find it odd that, these days, Malkin and her peeps seem more likely to trust The Guardian’s reporting over that of The Times?

Today’s obsessively updated post revolves around the proposition that nefarious motives led to the posting of an incorrect photo on a Haditha massacre article. There is no indication that the photo appeared in the print edition of The Times.

I think it’s a great catch on the part of the bloggers involved, but mistakes do happen, especially on websites that are updated so frequently. If only the online editors would just issue an apology, we could get back to “waiting for the official report.”

My favorite link within Malkin’s post is to a snarky little comment coughed up by Manshake Goldstein:

Whether the historical referent becomes My Lai or Jenin (or something in between) will depend upon the outcome of the investigation, of course; but, if the early analogies are any indication, one does get the creepy sense that many in the US media are kind of hoping for the former….

Yes, Jeff. The US media leave quite a bit to be desired, but please realize that the MM post you linked to is a critique of a UK press outlet. Perhaps it’s time to decrease the dosage on the Klonopin and up the Adderall. Focus, Manshake; focus!

Unless the investigation into an alleged coverup of the Haditha massacre implicates high level officers, the narrative of the event will be uncontroversial. The blame will be placed at the feet of the soldiers involved, and no one on either side of the occupation debate will be moved by the results. As Ted Rall pointed out in his column this week, “[most of the world doesn’t] see a difference between Haditha and the thousands of other Iraqis killed by U.S. forces since 2003.” In other words, there’s no reason to believe that a misappropriated photo is going to “affect the narrative”. The Haditha massacre is, sadly and literally, old hat.

If it turns out that a coverup was initiated by some powerful higher-ups, bloggers like Goldstein, Queeg (of CQ), and Michelle will fight like hell to keep the story focused on the Marines who carried out the atrocity, and it is for exactly this reason that I hope no such charges will be forthcoming. The smears will be unprecedented.