FACT CHECKING

Paul Krugman wanted the press to do nothing but pick apart errors (which, by definition, are made only Republicans). The Washington Post does a decent job in this round-up (except for the part about Republicans, they fault Kerry a little, too). But they leave out the biggest, fattest, juiciest Kerry whopper of all: Kerry's claim that he can get allies to join us in Iraq. This FT story is no longer link-able, but here's some text lifted from Dan Drezner's blog:

French and German government officials say they will not significantly increase military assistance in Iraq even if John Kerry, the Democratic presidential challenger, is elected on November 2.

Mr Kerry, who has attacked President George W. Bush for failing to broaden the US-led alliance in Iraq, has pledged to improve relations with European allies and increase international military assistance in Iraq.

"I cannot imagine that there will be any change in our decision not to send troops, whoever becomes president," Gert Weisskirchen, member of parliament and foreign policy expert for Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party, said in an interview.

"That said, Mr Kerry seems genuinely committed to multilateralism and as president he would find it easier than Mr Bush to secure the German government's backing in other matters."

Even though Nato last week overcame members' long-running reservations about a training mission to Iraq and agreed to set up an academy there for 300 soldiers, neither Paris nor Berlin will participate.

Michel Barnier, the French foreign minister, said last week that France, which has tense relations with interim prime minister Iyad Allawi, had no plans to send troops "either now or later".

That view reflects the concerns of many EU and Nato officials, who say the dangers in Iraq and the difficulty of extricating troops already there could make European governments reluctant to send personnel, regardless of the outcome of the US election.

Kerry's claim that he can hold a summit and bring in more allies should appear in WaPo's summary of factual errors.