accountability, american style

in england recently the daily mirror published photographs allegedly depicting british troops abusing iraqi prisoners. the photos were subsequently proven to be fakes. the paper's editor was sacked and the paper published and unequivocal apology.

in boston recently, city council member chuck turner held a press conference where he displayed photos allegedly depicting iraqi women being raped by u.s. soldiers. the boston globe breathlessly published an article documenting the charges and even the pictures themselves. the photos were subsequently shown to have been staged pics taken from a porn website.

after first trying to shrink the picture so that it was harder to see the nudity, the boston globe printed an editor's note apologizing for publishing pornographic pictures that didn't "meet globe standards." they then published long explanation shifting blame towards the council member while never actually acknowledging any wrong-doing other than the lapse in judgment for publishing porn. the council member, meanwhile, explained that he'd never said that the pictures were "authentic" and that it was not his job to prove whether they were real or not. the globe has since published an editorial attacking chuck turner and whining "we was duped!"

since we all are so hot for accountability in every sector of american society now, i'd like to know who's getting fired for this?

---

oh, al's always good for a few like that a year. i'm still partial to the time he decried the war in afghanistan declaring that the money would be better spent bailing out argentina (again).

---