The papers are getting careless

The Daily Mirror in the U.K. published photographs of British troops urinating on Iraqi prisoners. The Boston Globe published a view of a picture wherein American soldiers were sexually abusing an Iraqi woman. In both cases, it was quickly established that these depictions were simply fakes. But only after publication, of course. Only after the damage was done.

The Mirror at least found the grace to sack its editor. The Globe apologized, but laid primary blame at the feet of an inflammatory Boston City Councilor, whose claims the paper was reporting on in passing along the picture.