The memo went on to say that a Post article on Wednesday "quoted Gen. Ali Shamarri of the Interior Ministry's statistics department as saying the toll was 1,077. . . . In Baghdad, our correspondents attempted to interview Gen. Shamarri to confirm the Post's account of violence more widespread than previously believed. They were told that no person by the name of Ali Shamarri worked in the statistics department, nor anywhere else in the ministry."
When did Mary Mapes start working for the WaPo?
"...no person by the name of Ali Shamarri worked in the statistics department, nor anywhere else in the ministry."
These "reporters" are so used to getting their facts from press conferences, that they just assumed this guy was an official of some sort and printed what he said before checking things out. Granted, it must be difficult to know who is in charge over there, but my guess is that they "liked" the numbers....and were "conned" by the enemy... and willingly so!