In an Exclusive Reuters reports of regular weapon transfer from iran to Syria: Iran steps up weapons lifeline to Assad
How does Reuters know this you might ask. Here are its sources:
… Western diplomats said … Western officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Iraqi and Turkish officials denied the allegations. … the envoys said … envoys say … A Western intelligence report seen by Reuters in September said … Iraq denied that report … diplomats say … a senior Western diplomat said this week … the senior diplomat said … He added … Ali al-Moussawi, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's media adviser, strongly denied the allegations … diplomats said … The diplomats cited by Reuters made clear … They also said … intelligence report .. seen by Reuters in September … One Western diplomat cited intelligence reports … said the Western intelligence report … the report said … the report said … Other Western officials confirmed … the source told Reuters … Western diplomats say …
All allegations in the report come from anonymous western sources. It must have been a lot of work to stenograph than many dictations. Five journalist and editor and "others" worked on that report.
I once thought that journalism takes more than just writing down what anonymous government sources say. Alas. I was wrong.