Boston Globe editor Martin Baron acknowledges his paper’s mistake in running a staged porn photo and identifying it as a particularly egregious example of Iraqi prisoner abuse, but in a surprise twist to the story, Baron has demanded an apology for the gaffe from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: “This photo should not have appeared in the Globe. First, images portrayed in the photo were overly graphic. Second, as the story clearly pointed out, those images were never authenticated as photos of prisoner abuse. There was a lapse in judgment and procedures, and we expect Secretary Rumsfeld to apologize for it.”

Asked why his paper holds Rumsfeld responsible for its own lack of editorial judgment, Baron demurred. “We need to internationalize this war. We need to involve the UN. Why don’t they like us? I’ll tell you why: Quagmire. Quagmire quagmire quagmire.”

Mr. Baron then excused himself “to go fetch me a nice cold cream soda!”