Forbes brings us a rather interesting story from the Pentagon regarding its payment to journalists in Iraq in exchange for writing positive stories in the media.

U.S. military officials in Iraq said articles had been offered and published in Iraqi newspapers “as a function of buying advertising and opinion/editorial space, as is customary in Iraq.”

Now let’s see if I understand this. We allege that Saddam controlled the press in Iraq and ran a military dictatorship. Therefore, since this was the custom before we got there, then it’s OK for us to do it because Saddam did it. Am I missing something, or do they really think people are that stupid? I guess some people really are that stupid.