You are splitting hairs, Barry. Sort of like attempting to count the number of angels on the head of a pin.

Nothing in any of the materials you have cited suggests a contradiction. What we are observing is the introduction of new data that is helping us close in on our understanding of the geophysical history of Mars. As Christensen summarizes in the paper Nick links to:

"The available remote measurements of martian mineralogy and morphology suggest a complex and diverse set of states of martian water. Near-surface water ice appears to be more abundant than
previously considered. Aqueous processes have occurred locally to produce hematite mineralization in isolated regions. However, the lack of extensive carbonates (and clays?) and the presence of ancient oli-vine
suggests that liquid water has been rare at or near the surface over time. Together these observations suggest a relatively water-rich surface layer in which water is primarily in a frozen state expect for isolated, and very interesting, events."