PR moves and non-PR moves

Last week the right-wing Washington Times featured a story titled "Democrats call Zarqawi killing a stunt." Strangely, no Democrats were cited in the article as calling the Zarqawi killing a stunt.

A top US official has described the suicides of three detainees at the US base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as a "good PR move to draw attention".

Colleen Graffy told the BBC the deaths were part of a strategy and "a tactic to further the jihadi cause", but taking their own lives was unnecessary.

But lawyers say the men who hanged themselves had been driven by despair.

A military investigation into the deaths is under way, amid growing calls for the centre to be moved or closed.

Speaking to the BBC's Newshour programme, Ms Graffy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, said the three men did not value their lives nor the lives of those around them.

It's good to see this level of sophistication in the debate over the 'war on terror.' It'd really be a pity if it was just a jingoistic exchange of marketing termino.... oh.