RAINES WATCH

Let’s leave the attempt to spin overwhelming support for the war and Bush’s handling of it. Look at the photos. Even the Guardian led with the joy of some in Safwan to see U.S. troops. You have to go deep into Rainesian territory before we’re allowed to see that. The two lead photographs (in the dead tree version) for the “Nation at War” section, are a marine seemingly wounded (although he looks unscathed) by a land mine and an Iraqi child also wounded in the head. Neither is a fatality. I’m not saying these pictures don’t belong in the paper. I’m saying that on a day of extraordinary military advances, their placement tells you a lot. And it will get a lot worse before too long.