Today's Times reports that two Afghan prisoners died because of brutal treatment inflicted upon them by U.S. soldiers. And those incidents were far from isolated. "Harsh treatment by some interrogators was routine and...guards could strike shackled detainees with virtual impunity."
How dare the Times report that? Don't they know that people might riot? That people might get killed?
No, when it comes to bad news, the press should just shut up and say nothing. After all, that's its responsibility: To print no news that might produce an adverse consequence, regardless of its import.
At least, that's what the White House tells me, and since this Administration has always shown such a sincere and heartfelt appreciation of the importance of the press in a free society, I believe everything they say on the subject.
So forget about the prisoners who were tortured and killed. The point is, if anything bad happens because of this story, it's the New York Times' fault.
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