The New York Times is a quasi-official adjunct of Official Washington so this is what Official Washington wants you to know.
The genesis of this story followed one of two templates:
I.
General: Hey boys, ja see this?
Jimmy Olsens: What?! What is it, general-sir?
General: It's a tape by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi...
Olsens:...The one you killed...
General:...You little shits. Not necessarily killed killed; coulda just fucked him up REALLY bad.
Olsens: Okay, okay.
General: So maybe he can still talk.
Olsens: Okay, okay.
General: But he MIGHT be really most sincerely dead on accounta this tape may be old.
Olsens: Ohhhh.
General: So, I thought I'd give you guys this SCOOP. Got it?!
Olsens: Yessir, yessir, tomorrow's paper soon enough?
General: Fine.
II.
General (on telephone): ..."I'm going to handcuff you to the bed and pound you into 47 orgasms...
Woman's voice: ..."Ohh, ohhh, OHHHH!!!!..."
General: ...Who is it?!
Olsens: Excuse us, general...
General (in telephone):...Gotta go.
Olsens: ...Did you see this?
General: What the fuck is this?
Olsens: It's a tape of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the one you supposedly killed...
General: You little shits. Or really fucked up! Not necessarily killed. What is it? A tape? Of al-Baghdadi? What?! (General plays tape in recording machine but doesn't understand language) Oh this? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I knew all about this. I've listened to it, we've analyzed it...(General fishing) Have you listened to it?
Olsens: Of course.
General: Okay, THEN WHY ARE YOU BARGING IN HERE INTERRUPTING AN IMPORTANT PHONE CALL?!
Olsens: Because al-Baghdadi speaks of current events, as if he's alive.
General: I TOLD YOU HE MIGHT BE STILL ALIVE! JUST REALLY FUCK-ED UP-ED! Maybe he could still speak, maybe we didn't hit him in the mouth. (Fishing) What do YOU hear him speaking about, pencil dicks? Does he mention Golden State beat the Cavs? Does he mention Pope Francis' Christmas message?
Olsens: No! Those are excellent points, general. He talks about the escalating American bombing though, just a few weeks old...
General: (Reeling in) Really?...OF COURSE HE DOES!! We got that Muslim half-man king of the punk asses on the run...Or dead...Or really fucked up! We got Tikrit back, and we got those Mohammedans on the run in Ramadi. (General breaks into song)
"Onward Christian Soldiers! Fighting on as to War. With the Cross of Jesus, Going on Before."
This is the Ninth Holy Crusade, gentlemen and we shall cleanse the desert of them once and for all so that even a lizard cannot live here!! Put that in your paper! Maybe that'll get you a promotion and out of this shit hole before it's too late. He's in extremis if he's not dead. We got 'em right where we want them.
Olsens: Yes, general.
Olsens (to each other): Do you believe him? (pausing) Enough to write it up. Maybe it will get us out of here.
Read closely, keep in mind the ultimate source, note both facts and spin, some of both may be true, seek confirmation from independent sources:
BAGHDAD — The Islamic State on Saturday released an audio recording of a speech purportedly made by the organization’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in which he implored more Muslims to fight on behalf of his increasingly besieged group.
The authenticity of the recording could not be confirmed. It appeared to be Mr. Baghdadi’s first public address since May, and it followed reports that he had been either killed or gravely wounded by airstrikes.
The speech was released on jihadist social media accounts after a string of defeats for the Islamic State in Iraq and amid intensifying bombardment by an American-led military coalition in both Syria and Iraq.
In the speech, Mr. Baghdadi acknowledged escalating pressure on the Islamic State, also referred to as ISIS or ISIL, but framed it as worldwide attack by "disbelievers" against Muslims.
...
In the last few days, Iraqi government forces have mounted a major offensive to recapture the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State, hoping to deal the group a major blow in the western province of Anbar, a stronghold. On Saturday, Iraqi officials said they had cleared one central district in the city and had advanced within a mile of a militant redoubt in a government complex.
A defeat in Ramadi would be the fourth major loss for the Islamic State in Iraq since April, when Iraqi forces and Shiite militias drove the group out of Tikrit.
The genesis of this story followed one of two templates:
I.
General: Hey boys, ja see this?
Jimmy Olsens: What?! What is it, general-sir?
General: It's a tape by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi...
Olsens:...The one you killed...
General:...You little shits. Not necessarily killed killed; coulda just fucked him up REALLY bad.
Olsens: Okay, okay.
General: So maybe he can still talk.
Olsens: Okay, okay.
General: But he MIGHT be really most sincerely dead on accounta this tape may be old.
Olsens: Ohhhh.
General: So, I thought I'd give you guys this SCOOP. Got it?!
Olsens: Yessir, yessir, tomorrow's paper soon enough?
General: Fine.
II.
General (on telephone): ..."I'm going to handcuff you to the bed and pound you into 47 orgasms...
Woman's voice: ..."Ohh, ohhh, OHHHH!!!!..."
General: ...Who is it?!
Olsens: Excuse us, general...
General (in telephone):...Gotta go.
Olsens: ...Did you see this?
General: What the fuck is this?
Olsens: It's a tape of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the one you supposedly killed...
General: You little shits. Or really fucked up! Not necessarily killed. What is it? A tape? Of al-Baghdadi? What?! (General plays tape in recording machine but doesn't understand language) Oh this? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I knew all about this. I've listened to it, we've analyzed it...(General fishing) Have you listened to it?
Olsens: Of course.
General: Okay, THEN WHY ARE YOU BARGING IN HERE INTERRUPTING AN IMPORTANT PHONE CALL?!
Olsens: Because al-Baghdadi speaks of current events, as if he's alive.
General: I TOLD YOU HE MIGHT BE STILL ALIVE! JUST REALLY FUCK-ED UP-ED! Maybe he could still speak, maybe we didn't hit him in the mouth. (Fishing) What do YOU hear him speaking about, pencil dicks? Does he mention Golden State beat the Cavs? Does he mention Pope Francis' Christmas message?
Olsens: No! Those are excellent points, general. He talks about the escalating American bombing though, just a few weeks old...
General: (Reeling in) Really?...OF COURSE HE DOES!! We got that Muslim half-man king of the punk asses on the run...Or dead...Or really fucked up! We got Tikrit back, and we got those Mohammedans on the run in Ramadi. (General breaks into song)
"Onward Christian Soldiers! Fighting on as to War. With the Cross of Jesus, Going on Before."
This is the Ninth Holy Crusade, gentlemen and we shall cleanse the desert of them once and for all so that even a lizard cannot live here!! Put that in your paper! Maybe that'll get you a promotion and out of this shit hole before it's too late. He's in extremis if he's not dead. We got 'em right where we want them.
Olsens: Yes, general.
Olsens (to each other): Do you believe him? (pausing) Enough to write it up. Maybe it will get us out of here.
Read closely, keep in mind the ultimate source, note both facts and spin, some of both may be true, seek confirmation from independent sources:
BAGHDAD — The Islamic State on Saturday released an audio recording of a speech purportedly made by the organization’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in which he implored more Muslims to fight on behalf of his increasingly besieged group.
The authenticity of the recording could not be confirmed. It appeared to be Mr. Baghdadi’s first public address since May, and it followed reports that he had been either killed or gravely wounded by airstrikes.
The speech was released on jihadist social media accounts after a string of defeats for the Islamic State in Iraq and amid intensifying bombardment by an American-led military coalition in both Syria and Iraq.
In the speech, Mr. Baghdadi acknowledged escalating pressure on the Islamic State, also referred to as ISIS or ISIL, but framed it as worldwide attack by "disbelievers" against Muslims.
...
In the last few days, Iraqi government forces have mounted a major offensive to recapture the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State, hoping to deal the group a major blow in the western province of Anbar, a stronghold. On Saturday, Iraqi officials said they had cleared one central district in the city and had advanced within a mile of a militant redoubt in a government complex.
A defeat in Ramadi would be the fourth major loss for the Islamic State in Iraq since April, when Iraqi forces and Shiite militias drove the group out of Tikrit.
