The Art of Persuasion No. 5 : Visual Data are Powerful & Ambiguous

Consider this graph of Iraqi civilian casualties since the start of the war to the present:

What does it mean? Data are powerful, but must be framed. Now is the time to frame this before the party in power does. (If you don't believe this will get re-framed, just wait till the comment lurkers get a hold of this post.) 

Here's another one:

If you don't frame this, they will.