There is an old saying: "What if a tree fell in the forest and nobody came?" Or, as Samuel Johnson once wrote, words to a like effect.
The news out of Iraq, Wednesday, was that there was no news out of Iraq. At least no news that the New York Times wanted to particularly feature, doing everything it could to be certain that readers would not be around to hear that tree fall.
We have previously discussed the matter of the Times editorializing by placement. As another example, this was the squib in the teaser box on the front page of Thursday's paper:
Rebel Force Out of Baghdad: American Troops have routed Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia from every neighborhood of Baghdad, the commander of United States forces in Baghdad says.
Not the front page. Not the second nor third nor fourth page. Page 19. Following a four-page advertisement by the Siemens Corporation.
And the non-news was unambiguous as the opening paragraph by Damien Cave attests:
"American forces have routed Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the Iraqi militant network, from every neighborhood in Baghdad a top American General said today, allowing American troops involved in the 'surge' to depart as planned."
Routed. Every. Planned.
Not "making headway against." Routed.
Not "some neighborhoods." Every.
Not "leave in disgrace." Depart as planned.
Am I misreading the reporting here? If this is true, this isn't just pretty good news, this is extraordinary news. This is GREAT news.
Here's what it is not: It is not Page A19 news.
The commander, Major General John Fils told reporters that "murder victims are down 80% from the peak and attacks involving improvised bombs are down 70%." Among other things he gave credit to "the Iraqis' rejection of 'the rule of the gun.'"
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