"As far as I can tell it exists because GWBush cannot handle many (any?) American combat deaths and still get re-elected."
My take on this is different....it is because the US cannot take decisive action against civilian areas due to the media's complete opposition to US policy in iraq and its willingness to show the most inflamatory images to the world, and as a corrolary the US unwillingness to suffer the consequences of such images being publicized.
I don't disagree. If the media were neutral then America could tolerate combat deaths and a cleansing of Falluja terrorists. But a neutral media is in the past. I'm amazed conservatives win any elections. They do only because conservatism is watered down from what it used to be.