According to the first NYT report posted on its web site, the attack by a large (80 strong), heavily armed, and perfectly disciplined force was the work of the Badr brigades, a fanatically antiBaathist Shiite militia. This was not repeated in the second version, which included the US military's allegation of Baathist responsibility. However, at least for now, that version still includes the information that the attackers shouted "God is Great," carried the black flags of the Shiite militias, and included *Persian* speakers (a few of whom were captured). According to France-TV's "Le Journal," about 200 prisoners were liberated. But our great moralists somehow "know" (presumably anticipating the official US line) that all the prisoners were "hardened criminals" and that the attackers were really Baathists disguised as Shiites.
Shane Mage
"Thunderbolt steers all things."
Herakleitos of Ephesos, fr. 64