The Onion - Iraqis May Experience Sadness - is it funny?

I came across with this "article" 'Iraqis May Experience Sadness When Friends, Relatives die' by The Onion. I believe that we are in a time where we should be very caution and think twice after publishing some bright ideas.
Perhaps it's just a question of editing and knowing what must be left unpublished.
I don't know what do I feel after reading this article but I assure it is not a good feeling.

Excerpts:

Iraqis may experience sadness when Friends, Relatives die

CHAPEL HILL, NC—A field study released Monday by the University of North Carolina School of Public Health suggests that Iraqi citizens experience sadness and a sense of loss when relatives, spouses, and even friends perish, emotions that have until recently been identified almost exclusively with Westerners.

"We were struck by how an Iraqi reacts to the sight of the bloody or decapitated corpse of a family member in a not unlike an American, or at the very least a Canadian, would," said Dr. Jonathan Pryztal, chief author of the study. "In addition to the rage, bloodlust, and hatred we already know to dominate the Iraqi emotional spectrum, it appears that they may have some capacity, however limited, for sadness."

"Iraqis have often been observed weeping and wailing in apparent anguish, but the study offers evidence indicating this may not be exclusively an outward expression of anger or a desire for revenge. It also provocatively suggests that this grief can possess an American-like personal quality, and is not simply a tribal lamentation ritual."

""We are, in truth, still a long way from determining if Iraqis are exhibiting actual, U.S.-grade sadness," Mayo Clinic neuropsychologist Norman Blum said. "At present, we see no reason for the popular press to report on Iraqi emotions as if they are real."

Mindhacks has made an article with the paragraphs that are most funny. Perhaps I'm being too sensitive at the moment.

Addendum:
I believe that humour is powerful and is not only a way that helps coping with difficult times but also has a great way to make great statements that can affect people. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I'm writing about it.