ABC News ran a little feature on Monday night about how terrific things are in Fallaujah these days. Marines escorted a reporter wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet around a few streets and contrasted the reception they received with the full-on battles of recent times. Needless to say the interpreter was wearing a full face mask to avoid potentially fatal recognition.
Today Juan Cole reports that there is a total ban on civilian use of motor transport in Fallujah, leading to 80% unemployment.
The ABC report was not a "lie" in the sense that the events depicted actually occurred. But in the absence of any context, the average reader was bound to receive a distorted impression of what is happening.