BUT OF COURSE, IT'S ONLY COINCIDENCE - The base of the American occupation army in Kandahar was attacked last night by Afghan guerrillas. The Pentagon has hastened to assure us that there were no American casualties during the half-hour firefight and that our mighty Rambos carried the day, beating their hairy chests like bongos and yelling "USA! USA!" as the infidels fled in terror and disarray.

At the same time, we are informed that an American soldier was killed in "an accident with machinery" about the same time. Fancy that! What a coincidence!

The Pentagon developed this habit of outright lying about American casualties during the Big Iraq Attack of 1990-1991, when most American combat deaths were disguised as "traffic accidents" (in the middle of an empty desert), "forklift accidents" etc. I don't think it ever really fooled anybody.