Why is it forbidden to show American coffins coming home from Iraq?
926313
"The ban on media coverage of returning casualties was imposed by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney after an embarrassing incident in which three television networks broadcast live, split-screen images in December, 1989, as the first U.S. casualties were returning from an American assault on Panama."\n\n"In that incident, President George H. W. Bush was seen on television joking at a White House news conference while somber images of flag-draped coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base moved across viewers' screens."\n\n"The ban on war casualty images was continued during the Clinton administration, which made several exceptions to allow publication and broadcast upon the return of victims of attacks against U.S. personnel abroad, including the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in 2000." \n\n"President George W. Bush continued the ban following the start of the Afghanistan war in October, 2001 and the Iraq invasion in March, 2003."\n\nMore here:\n\nhttp://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB152/index.htm
1100074
For every genuine picture or blog coming out of Iraq, there are a hundred either mocked up or used out of context.\n\nUnless you saw it with your own eyes its best not to jump to conclusions as modern photgraphic techniques can make anything beliveable.\n\nAbout two years ago a mainstream British newspaper carried a front page set of photgraphs of British Soldiers abusing Iraqis in the back of a truck.\n\nThere was uproar worldwide and people were killed in the reprisal riots.\n\nWhat many of us, who actually know what they are looking at, noticed however were some minor discrepancies in the equipment the "soldiers" were carrying. For instance the SA80 rifles the guys were holding were not the current issue model, and neither did they have the correct serial numbers. To the untrained eye an SA80 mk1 looks like an SA80 mk2, but there are subtle differences.\n\nAnyhow, after people got killed as a result of the article, and relations between the Brits and the locals in Basra took a downturn, a group of idiots in the UK were caught, arrested and then admitted to faking the photgraphs in a warehouse in England in order to both sell them for money and to protest the war. Even the lorry in question was traced and had never been outside the UK. None of the people in the photos were soldiers, or Iraqis and all of the gear had been sourced from surplus shops and the rifles were de-activated junk from gulf war one.\n\nThe newspaper editor was forced to resign, but his actions in publishing the photos as genuine had cost lives. People had died as a result.    \n\nAlso to back up previous comments, there are no incendiary weapons which burn the body yet leave the clothes, also napalm and white phos are two different things.
616745
I agree with you totally.  I think why we don't do it now is because in today's world it would be "politically incorrect" to do it. That is why I don't like that stuff on here where they are posing as Moslems and spreading hate and threatening to blow us up.  We dont need another 9/11
657748
Most Americans dont have common sense when it comes to comparing death.  There are many instances like that.  For Example, statistically Marine Corps BootCamp is the absolute safest place for a person to be, yet the media and the people BLOW UP when someone dies there.  STOP COMPARING IRAQ TO NAM! They are nothing alike. Vietnam involved real fighting! Iraq war deaths are mostly IEDs and cowardly tactics like that!
1042998
I agree that they should be in there own homeland! Specially the mummies. I wouldn't want my dead body getting moved to some other country for people to view. I can see why we research them but what happened to respecting the dead?
533403
The Iraqi people don't want the US there. The US is well overdue to come home. The soldiers are just doing their job, granted. But there is a distinct line between  a false liberation and an illegal occupation.
1006978
Hollywood, the Media, and "immature heavy metal death bands" have given folks reason to think it MAY be offensive in some way, be a sign of satan or some such demon, etc. \n\nThe Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of religion and if someone wants to worship whatever, should be not only allowed to but should be respected in that, as long as we aren't talking human sacrifice, etc. Hell, I grew up in New Orleans and had a Voodoo priest next door and respected his right.\n\nCheck out my link. It's all the "approved" VA gravestone markers. I learned something here today!
1017566
Im currently serving in Iraq with the army, and I truly believe it's not the american people worrying about the way he died. The american people are fine in knowing that the evil witch is dead. But the press is going to make it a big hype for the the next best story. The american press Sucks! I am in great dislike knowing the means that they go to, to get a story. I mean look at this marine ordeal, they have considered them all guilty before even a trial. When if you would do some research you would see the fact so far to them killing innocent people intentionally are discredited. My suggestion is quit worry about what these idiots care about and educate yourself on true facts. Go to www.boredsoldier.blogspot.com Thats a site my friend here in Iraq has started, hear your news from soldiers. Not a peanut gallery that knows only propaganda!
704834
I don't know, but I agree with you, someone or some organization should have the pictures of all the US military who have died in Bush's war.  Newspapers and the Internet should have the pictures displayed for all to see, specially tomorrow "Veterans Day."
515168
You are an absolute idiot. Stop listening to the media and actually attempt to find the truth in this matter. I have three siblings who went to Iraq several times each and all have said how much they love Americans for getting rid of their tyrannical dictator. If we benefit while we are over there, is that not a fair trade?? This is a highly mutualistic proposition for both countries, and the only really bad thing about is that it has cost the U.S. a bundle.
581519
Just like Viet Nam, the only station I know of that shows the dead in silent respect is PBS on Jim Learer News. I watch it every night to get the truth the other networks aren't showing. Deaths are still happening in Afghanistan too, and PBS shows them as well. I would rather know the truth then be lied too, and that is what I feel the present Government is doing to America on a daily basis. It's really sad, and I wish our military would come back home, so we can heal from all of this.
709410
Maybe because they don't understand that we don't want them here.\nAnd, Iraqis is a plural, not a possessive.
1053181
You are actually seeing how they will spin it right before your eyes. All the media and anti-war clan has done since these two brave soliders bodies were found is talk about the mutilation, beheading, DNA testing, unnatural barbaric torture, and how only pieces of them were found. It is an absolute disgrace the way this has been covered. Yes, we need to know the realities of war, yes we need to all know this happened but why doesn't the media try to tell us a little bit about these two solidiers and the way they lived their lives. Why not hear more about how they lived. I definately am NOT trying to take away from the deplorable way they died - its outrageous and they need justice but I can't help feeling their deaths have been exploited by the media. As for the way the anti american factions will handle this. The exact way we would expect them to. Justify it with saying that americans kill Iraqi's everyday. Does anyone really think Syria, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia cared one bit about the abuse Saddam doled out to his own people? Of course not. No one will ever change Anti American sentiment - what needs to be done is to make them irrelevant. I believe when people come forward and actually condone this type of behavior that people who have even a little bit of intelligience start to disregard them.
1102131
If you respect all that brave men have fought and died for over two centuries, then you have to allow it.  You don't have to like it, you are free to speak your mind to the jerk that would do something like that, but to ban an act of protest would be a disgrace and would just lead to more curbs in what freedoms we have left in the US.
194479
NO. I have friends and family who are in Iraq in the military and my father in law just got back from Iraq as a civilian bomb dog handler. Each of them has told me how saddened and sickened they are by the media portrayal of only negative things from the war. Each of them has told me about how they can see positive changes in Iraq and how much better the living conditions are over there now and how they have started schools and brought order back in many places. I don't think that is a waste of time. It is hard for us who have people we love over there and I am sure we would like to see them all come home safely and not have to be at war -- but the efforts made my our troops in Iraq are not a waste of time.
774023
I agree with you completely.  My brother is in the Army and he has been to Iraq and Afghanistan if anything ever happened to him I think that my family would find it an honor to have the American flag draped over his casket for all to see.  People that say its politically motivated are just ignorant.
554146
On the pretense of WMD, initially.  That turned out to be a hugh mis-judgement, putting it on a charitable note.  Now, America would be wholly irresonsible if we just quit.\n\nTo your ancillary questions:  US should get its own house in order and help others when others would help themselves.  Not by unilateral invasions.\n\nAmerica so far has gained notoriety around the world, hypocricy, bully and probably much less charitable names as called by terrorists.\n\nIt is very sad.  It can only be hoped that the Iraqi government can now manage themselves peacefully so that American men and women in harms way can safely return home.