Juxtaposition of the Day: The Terror. We're On It.

The most heartbreaking, and widely-republished photo from the killing of Aghani civilians by a U.S. service member in Kandahar.

You don’t get these “Obama on the phone” photos (especially in the limo, casually dressed, on the weekend) unless a big deal, “we’re on it” signal must be sent — as in, we’re doing serious damage control over the massacre by the AWOL Army Sergeant in Kandahar. It also appears that he’s talking on a secure phone (as opposed to the one to his right).

For more on the visual framing of the Afghan War, see: “Afghanistan Kumbaya”.

(photo: AFP. caption: The US soldier blamed for the killings is reported to have walked off his base about 03:00 local time, heading for villages near his base, and to have gone from house to house shooting. via BBC News Asia. photo: Pete Souza/Official White House caption: President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai from his vehicle outside the Jane E. Lawton Community Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Sunday, March 11, 2012. The President called to express his shock and sadness over the reported killing of Afghan civilians. via White House Flickr Feed)