UPDATED - ColdType

ing taxicab than the US did with some of its air
raids.
Those oh, so ‘precise’ bombs
EMBEDDED: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
THE NEW YORK TIMES devotes an editorial
today praising precision bombing, noting “It is
always possible, as American military leaders
suggest, that damage was caused by Iraqi air
defense missiles falling back to earth or by
explosives set off by the Iraqis themselves for
propaganda purposes. But whatever the case,
the widely publicized civilian deaths have generated
anger at the United States and sympathy for
Iraq in many nations. The incidents inevitably
raise the question: How precise are our muchtouted
precision weapons?”
Who done it? The irrepressible Mr. Fisk of
London’s Independent was actually on the scene
and reported what he found: “The missile was
guided by computers and that vital shard of fuselage
was computer-coded. It can be easily verified
and checked by the Americans – if they
choose to do so. It reads: 30003-704ASB 7492. The
letter “B” is scratched and could be an “H”. This
is believed to be the serial number. It is followed
by a further code which arms manufacturers
usually refer to as the weapon’s “Lot” number. It
reads: MFR 96214 09. The piece of metal bearing
the codings was retrieved only minutes after the
missile exploded on Friday evening, by an old
man whose home is only 100 yards from the six
foot crater. Even the Iraqi authorities do not
know that it exists. The missile sprayed hunks of
metal through the crowds – mainly women and
children – and through the cheap brick walls of
local homes, amputating limbs and heads.”
As for what is in those weapons, The Sunday
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Herald in Glasgow is reporting what I have yet to
see in the American press the use of depleted
uranium in U.S. ordinance: Neil Mackay reports:
“British and American coalition forces are using
depleted uranium (DU) shells in the war against
Iraq and deliberately flouting a United Nations
resolution which classifies the munitions as illegal
weapons of mass destruction.”
As you can see, making sense of the news in
America requires that you leave America, if only
through the Internet to seek out information and
perspectives missing in the TV News accounts.
This daily column is one dissector’s attempt at
reporting back on what is out there. Happily,
your letters and items are fleshing out the picture
further. ●
APRIL FOOLS’ DAY: THE FALL
AND RISE OF PETER ARNETT
THIS patriotic or excitement enhancing music
and promotional marketing echoes the advice of
radio consultants who are advising clients to go
red white and blue all the way. Reports the
Washington Post: “Now, apparently, is the time
for all good radio and TV stations to come to the
aid of their country’s war. That is the message
pushed by broadcast news consultants, who’ve
been advising news and talk stations across the
nation to wave the flag and downplay protest
against the war.
“Get the following production pieces in the
studio NOW . . . Patriotic music that makes you
cry, salute, get cold chills! Go for the emotion,”
advised McKay Media, a Cleveland-based consultant,
in a ‘War Manual’ memo to its station