Sorry webmacher, but although I'm aware of course that there are innocent civilian victims who are not killed by the occupation forces, I stand by my statement that this is far from the bulk of the violence in Iraq not initiated by the occupiers; and moreover, it is certain that the occupation forces are not fighting terrorism.

War needs journalistic watchdogs as much as or more than any city hall, because human beings, even those responsible for safeguarding lives, may lie mercilessly if there is no one to watch over them.

Estimates of the number of journalists who covered the Vietnam War range from about 500 accredited news people to slightly more than 600. Of course, that was before the proliferation of cable news channels and the Internet. The number of credentialed members of the media from around the world covering the Jackson trial also appears to be more than the number estimated to have covered the Persian Gulf War at the start of ground operations. The Encyclopedia of The Persian Gulf War said 1,500 journalists covered the opening of the ground war. A New York Times News Service story said that there were nearly 2,000 journalists covering the war in Iraq at the start of hostilities in 2003. The number has since dwindled considerably.

Whatever the occupation is doing in Iraq, which is murky at best, it certainly is not fighting "terrorists".

After 23 years at CNN, I have decided to resign in an effort to prevent CNN from being unfairly tarnished by the controversy over conflicting accounts of my recent remarks regarding the alarming number of journalists killed in Iraq.

CNN being unfairly tarnished....

The tape had to be a disaster. But what kind? When Jordan and others at CNN looked at it, they must have seen a man making statements that went beyond what the network had been able to prove in its news reporting. He had wandered into the territory of assertion…

You can say it's a problem of urban warfare like PPJ says,

"Francois Strydom learnt about killing in Koevoet, South Africa's apartheid-era paramilitary police unit, notorious for violence, torture and murder. In Iraq, Strydom found his skills were in demand. Employed by United States-based firm SAS International, Strydom was one of a number of South Africans in Iraq working as private "security experts" before a January 28 bomb outside the Shaheen hotel prematurely terminated his contract. The aftermath of the blast sent shockwaves through South Africa's media, as Strydom's death revealed an embarrassing situation. The national media estimated 1,500 former soldiers and police officers were operating in Iraq, in defiance of stringent legislation forbidding the practice.

what irony. His mastery of language clearly reveals the 6 ton white elephant in the room while diplomatically allowing idiots to keep acting like it is not there.

Stay away from the bad guys, and wear a jumper with a bright international orange "J" stenciled on the front and back.

His U.S. military and Reuters press cards, clipped to his shirt, were caked in blood. In one, there were two bullet holes. To the right of the scene, a U.S. soldier, apparently a sniper, was posted on the roof of a shopping centre.

A British security adviser working for Reuters said it seemed likely that high-velocity rounds had been fired at the car from roughly the direction of that building.

Please reconcile the two statements.

When they were clearly identified the US still shot them and targeted their hotel. I'd say the 'bad guys' IRT journalists are the US soldiers.

The CIA, BLACKWATER, and the other MERCENARIES are tear-assing around the country setting bombs.

Al - I have never claimed that our troops are there to defend the civilians. Where did you get such an idea? Never the less, the terrorists are killing civilians for one reason, and one reason only. They want to grab power.