[HLMencken]

You are misinformed.

I am so tired of hearing about all the "good" that is not being reported. Sure, there is some, but it ios generally inconsequential.

Why?

Because 3 years after major combat operations ended, it is still unsafe for an American vehicle to travel outside the heavily fortified areas without an armed convoy. There is no security in Iraq for the most powerful military in the world to operate unimpeded, let alone your average Iraqi who would speak out against insurgents.

I work for the Dept of Defense and see the intel and the stories of friends who have gone over. The situation is a mess--this isn't a fabrication of the NYT. In fact, it is worse than that reported in the mainstream media in my opinion, because the fact that 2 soldiers a day are getting killed IS A HUGE NEWS STORY.

You keep using the tired GOP line that 2 casualties/day is minor for a war--but the major conflict ended 3 years ago. This is 2 soldiers and 30 civilians per day in a supposedly US/Iraqi-led nation with its own government and security and supposedly on path to a free and secure existence. This is supposed to be the peace--the steady state! And yet, its essentially regressing into a broken state like the former Afghanistan--THIS IS NEWSWORTHY. Build all the sewer lines you want, but if you can't maintain security and order, it will be in vain. With US presence we cannot maintain peace and security, without US presence we cannot maintain peace and security--this is your great victory that should be reported????