New American Empire cheerleader Ralph Peters appeared on The News Hour the other day to explain why people shouldn't get their undies in a bundle about the Pentagon paying for propaganda placement in Iraqi newspapers. It's because things are going so poorly otherwise: "When a house is burning down, you put out the fire before you worry about the table settings." Excellent point, except what with the use of propaganda running counter to the stated goals of the war/fire itself, it's a little like those place settings he's so eager to ignore are made of solid napalm. Then again, what fire? The Iraqi papers we read just reported, "Warm Evening Air Redolent of Nostalgic Scent of Wood-Burning Stove."

PLANTING NEWS IN THE IRAQ MEDIA [PBS via Romenesko]