The dead tree edition of the New York Times, seen here, has a huge headline about Iraq across the top of its front page: Iraqi Unit Flees Post, Despite American’s Plea.

From the story:

A company of Iraqi soldiers abandoned their positions on Tuesday night in Sadr City, defying American soldiers who implored them to hold the line against Shiite militias.

The retreat left a crucial stretch of road on the front lines undefended for hours and led to a tense series of exchanges between American soldiers and about 50 Iraqi troops who were fleeing.

Actually, it was 48 of them. It’s not that big a deal; worthy of a story, certainly, but not a blaring, front-page mega-headline.

As Taranto points out in Best of the Web, the paper never really said it was a big deal. They never really even finished the story.

The Iraqi convoy drove off, and the Americans began to scramble to find a new Iraqi unit to plug the gap. Senior Iraqi commanders hurried to the scene and a special Iraqi reconnaissance unit was ordered to advance up the road. With the help of an American bomb-clearing unit, Stryker vehicles and attack helicopters, the Iraqis rumbled north, spraying rounds as they went. According to the last reports monitored by Company B, the Iraqis were stopped short by several roadside bombs, and planned to resume the push in daylight.

The furious Iraqi fire on their drive toward the abandoned base endangered the American soldiers who were bringing supplies to one of their platoons, and an American officer issued a plea over the tactical radio.

These 48 Iraqi deserters were less experienced, newcomers to the front, replacing a more battle-hardened unit which didn’t cut and run when they became frightened. The Americans certainly won’t, despite the paper’s best laid plans.