" It could be an issue of not wanting to reveal sources and methods."
By who? I don't really understand what you're referring to.
My point was that a four day news blackout on an incident that has left hundreds of people sick seems improbable to me. Even if US authorities could persuade the US media to go along with that, I can't see why the local media wouldn't be aware, able to talk to people in the affected area and reporting it.
I meant that as a possible explanation why we're not hearing anything from the Pentagon.
But as for the reporters on the scene, who would they report it to that would actually be interested in telling a story that might make Bush look good -- Al Jazeera? CNN? Remember, we're dealing with an American and global media that now regularly alters photographs. So that the media in Iraq might report only that a weapons cache was blown up without going into further detail about anyone getting sick -- or subtly framing the story to appear as if the sicknesses are a separate/unrelated incident -- is hardly beyond the pail for them.
I agree it's a bit strange, but not quite as far fetched as you think.