[mountaineer]

Everytime a mission is compromised and we lose one of our men or women because of it, the American public should not blame the press for it, but themselves.

Look what FOB Uncle Walter had to say, quoted in Liz Smith's column in today's NY Post:

'I AM very upset that the Defense Department and the administration have not provided the facilities for the American people to know what their troops are doing in Afghanistan. It's been a total news blackout. We are not allowed to accompany troops into action, and this is a denial of the free speech and free press to which we're entitled - particularly when it's a matter of reporting our boys and girls going into action, endangering their lives to protect our democracy. We are entitled to know what they're putting up with and how they are performing."

Cronkite told us that if he were back in the saddle, "I would do what I'm surprised the rest of the press is not doing, I would not let a day go by without my complaints that we were being denied the right to cover the story" [in Afghanistan].

His so-called "right to cover the story" could jeopardize the lives of American soldiers. I'm guessing he couldn't care less.

[dixie sass]

True. Covering a story is one thing but intentionally bringing harm to another by reporting classified or "need to know" information is another. To much of that went on during the last administration.

During my years at Wpnsta Chasn, so much information that was supposed to be classified always appeared in the papers, national newscasts, radio. Sure I want to know what my government is up to but not at the expense of someones life. Never at the expense of someones life.

We saw what happened with the media doing on the spot coverage in Vietnam and then again in Somalia and other places around the world. People don't realize or don't seem to want to realize that the other side watches and listens to our broadcasts - just like we do to theirs. What a shame...