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[Elspode]

This kind of control has been going on since Day 1 in the most recent Iraq war. The "embedding" is done so that *we* can control the press, instead of them controlling us with what they report.

I watched a lot of the stuff from the embedded personnel at the beginning of the war. You almost exclusively saw us kicking ass.

Now that we are down to urban street fighting, and losing dozens per week, where are the images? On Al Jazeerah, unfortunately.

I know war is bad, but I resent having the images withheld just so the polls won't skew too far against a sitting President. We're a free country, so let's have some free information. The argument about being sensitive to the families, in my opinion, is a nice idea, but somewhat spurious. After all, it isn't like the name of the contents is emblazoned across the coffin. They're generic, all alike, the same way our government and military views the contents. They are only dear to someone once the container reaches its destination.

If there was positive political hay to be made over these coffins, you can bet your ass that GW, Kerry and anyone else who was looking for a boost would be parading these boxes down Main Street on a caisson with a brass band playing and the local minister shouting that God was on our side.