Throughout the day, I'll list and critique news reporting on the December 10, 2003 Baghdad rally against terrorism.

First off is a brief description from the England-based KurdishMedia:

Iraqis of all ethnic backgrounds and religions marched peacefully yesterday against terrorism in the capital of Baghdad.

The protestors condemned terrorism, the Arab media’s role in promoting terrorism, and interference in Iraqi affairs by Iraq’s neighbours. By all reports, thousands of people marched in this popular demonstration.

The Iraqi Propect Organization (IPO), an organization of young Iraqi activists based primarily in Baghdad, estimated that half a million Iraqis took part in yesterday’s rally. This estimate, according to IPO Chairman Ahmed Shames, was based on reports from IPO members in Baghdad.

Half a million? Forgive me, but that's reminiscent of Classical accounting of armies and mass crowds (read: wildly inaccurate). I understand the exuberance, believe me - but remaining clear-headed about the strength of these rallies is important not only for the gauging of their popularity but also for their legitimacy. More than a few journalists, politicians and fronts are looking to minimize these rallies' significance. Well-meaning or not, KM should not have quoted IPO. In turn, pro-democracy Iraqi political parties need to shake off their wonderment, buckle down and get down to business.

News24 in South African is carrying the AFP story with its own title of "Iraqis Rally for Human Rights." Well said. The South Africans ought to know.

DECENT EXPOSURE: Even though it's competing with a handful of reports on grumpy Iraqis, the Knight-Ridder story is printed somewhere inside small newspapers across the nation [the news feed has since changed, so I doubt if it's applicable). So, what about the big ones? The broadcast triplets? Even Fox could stand to give the march a little bit more priority.

If the story remains on the lower tier, Iraqis have only one solution: bigger and bigger rallies.

KEEPING WATCH: Jeff Jarvis is sifting through press reports, too.

OTHERS WEIGH IN ON THE WORLD AROUND THE RALLIES: Hardly a puff-piece for the administration, Bill Johnson has nevertheless written about as hopeful a column as any jaded international reporter could muster. Take it for what it's worth; remember how cynical the press boys were about Germany. And how Japan's economy was practically more black market than legitimate for over two years. Read between the lines and you can see hope. Hope, not surprisingly, carries the most power in trying times.

FREEDOM AND THE BIG THREE: Chris Muir says it bluntly.