Time to Read the Headlines Again

Just a quick observation.

As I punched in the MSNBC url on my browser (I certainly and unequivocally recommend Firefox), I skimmed over the big headline:

"Saddam's Party Welcomed Back in Iraq"

Underneath that, in the related box:

"Bush: 'Hope' Returning to Baghdad"

I didn't think about it at first. I just went along.

"Wait. What?!?" I thought to myself (I may have said it aloud, I was pretty shocked). "Bush regards the return of the Baath party as a sign of hope for Baghdad?" That seemed a bit counterintuitive, to say the least, so I read on.

Turned out Bush was talking about the so-called "surge" and the possible troop reduction by mid-year (we've got our fingers crossed). It wasn't related to the Baath party at all, although Washington is pleased about that development. Just another lesson that headlines and layout can tell their own stories.