Poof! That’s what you get when you prick an inflated balloon. Spin! That’s the unanimous verdict when news people choreograph events to fit into preconceived agenda. The Nation’s first two stories of the week, alleging US freeze on military aid to Kenya, appeared to fit both categories.

It began on Sunday, when the paper led with the story of how the country stood to lose over Sh700m because Kenya has not signed an agreement to shield American soldiers from the International war crimes court. The "bilateral non-surrender agreement" would be reciprocal.

If Kenya arrested an American soldier on war crimes charges, the suspect would not be handed over to the international tribunal without agreement of the US government. Similarly, a Kenyan suspect in American hands would benefit in the same way.

The trouble, it appears, is that for Kenya to sign that agreement, it would have to break another. Only three months ago, the Nation reported, the country signed the Rome Statute, binding itself to the International Criminals Court and its requirement to arrest and hand over any wanted war crimes suspect.

The stage was set. A story like Sunday’s could only elicit one unanimous protest – blackmail!

No doubt, the Sunday story was a must-tell.

And reporters would go out to sample subsequent public opinion. Even if they didn’t, people would be certain to call newsrooms with opinion (which happened all Monday morning, on radio talk shows). And if reporters want to truly level with us, they will admit there were divergent views out there. Heck, even just one. But, no. Editors seemed decided already. Hence the Nation’s Monday banner story – "Stop this blackmail, Kenyans tell Americans."

That story made the previous one look like a trial balloon. It badly compromised the first story. Here is how.

"Kenyans yesterday reacted angrily to arm-twisting tactics adopted by the US government over the signing of an agreement meant to shield American soldiers from the international war crimes court," began the Monday story. First, there is instant doubt if this country can achieve a poll that decidedly translates into "Kenyans", under 24 hours. At the very least, the reader expects to be furnished with a list that unequivocally spells "Kenyans decided A, B, C." But, the "Kenyans" turned out to be three politicians, two religious leaders and a member of a human rights body. That is hardly a representative body of Kenyans.

Second, the assertion that these Kenyans reacted angrily to "arm-twisting tactics of the United States" is uncalled for in news reporting. Who decided that the United States was engaging in "arm twisting"?

Wait. This is not a defence for the United States.

For demanding that Kenya signs the non-surrender treaty, the United States is not standing on moral ground. Crime suspects must stand trial. Every country has the right to enforce its laws within its borders, irrespective of who has violated them. Nobody should be above that, not even Americans.

But understand America. The American people will not vote for any politician who wantonly sends their sons to war. And even if the people sanction war, the collective approval will be instantly thrown into reverse when just one of their sons is dragged before a foreign court. The moment this appears on American TV screens, the guy responsible goes on a limb. That guy is usually the president. And no American president wants that.

If you didn’t know, there is no better picture of an all powerful president than in the United States. Yes, American democracy is truly a rule by the people -- the President is frequently forced to rule by polls, instead of principle. Their cousins in Europe, on the other hand, do not make idols of their political leaders. European leaders tend to face hard realities and negotiate. British Prime Minister Tony Blair will come to "parliament" to personally answer to national grievances. (Talk about where the buck stops!)

American democracy, on the other hand, is perfect -- until they elect God as their president! Never make the President look bad. That is law. It is why when an American son or daughter is captured in the battlefield, the preferred modus operandi is to bring the soldier home, as quietly as possible.

And, really, there is nothing wrong with this.

US foreign policy is always pegged on whatever is in America’s best interest. Any smart country operates similarly. When Kenya buys a Sh12million Mercedes for a Somali president and chaperons his cantankerous MPs for months on end, only a fool thinks the Kibaki administration is on charity business. When for years the country sends its best brains to broker a ceasefire in the Sudan, bending backwards to accommodate the warring Sudanese, you bet there is a catch.

On this level, it is hypocritical to yell foul at the United States for wanting to care for its own. It’s what everybody does. But that is not the point. The point is that whatever side you’re on, news people have no business floating trial balloons and spinning the outcome. The week’s two leading stories translated into a trial balloon when the first set the stage for an obvious conclusion in the second. It became a spin when news people appeared to orchestrate an event then proceeded to cover it, pounding only one angle.