The sounds of peace

A NYT story about Operation Iron Fist – a name that could only be surpassed for aggressive manliness by grunts or growls: Operation Grrrr – buries the money quote in the very last paragraph. Marine Col. Stephen Davis told the residents of one town, who had been subjected to the usual forms of occupation-type harassments, “Some of you are concerned about the attack helicopters and mortar fire from the base. I will tell you this: those are the sounds of peace.” He probably also thinks that napalm in the morning smells like victory. Could be a brain tumor; he should have it checked out.

The London Times, by contrast to its young New York cousin, buries nothing, indeed headlines one of its stories, “Bombers’ Severed Heads Are Key to Bali Terror Trail.”

Must-read article about a Gaza Palestinian family forced to co-exist in its home with the Israeli army for five years.

WaPo on Harriet Miers: “As Bush’s staff secretary, she was known to correct spelling, grammar and even punctuation errors in memos to the president.” Yes, because Bush would really have noticed spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.