Does Anyone in the White House Read the Papers?

From today’s press briefing:

Q The Chicago Sun-Times has a story saying that many gang members are now in the army.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I haven't read the report that you're referring to. I think we have talked about the training and equipping of Iraqi security forces. There's been substantial progress made. And one of the areas they focused on was to make sure that you had a military that is committed to the country and not committed to any individual militia.

Sigh: Helen’s question was about gangs having infiltrated the US military. Obviously, McClellan thinks she’s talking about Iraqi soldiers—and he remains true to his talking points, although his answer is pure bullshit. Here’s a recent report from the WaPo concerning that “substantial progress”:

The graduation of nearly 1,000 new Iraqi army soldiers in restive Anbar province took a disorderly turn Sunday when dozens of the men declared that they would refuse to serve outside their home areas, according to U.S. and Iraqi military authorities.

[. . .]

Mohammad Abdulla Alawin, a recruit from Ramadi, said he wouldn't serve anywhere else; sectarian violence was one of his biggest worries. "We are afraid of the Shiite death squads which are found inside the Iraqi army, and who might kill us if we serve outside our province."

C’mon, Scotty! I know you’re a short-timer, but would it kill you to read a f*cking newspaper or two once in a while?