Back in WWII, a reporter out in the field carried little more than a typewriter and a camera. He depended on the military to actually transmit his stories. The military had implied consent to censor the stories to avoid releasing classified infomation.

Today, reporters are roaming around Afghanistan with small satellite uplinks that are little larger than those old typewriters. Within seconds, they can transmit streaming video and audio from just about anywhere. Global news networks like CNN can rebroadcast the stories around the world within seconds.

Most of today's reporters are a far different breed than those who reported WWII. Off hand, I can't think of a single one that I trust to know when to keep his mouth shut.

I served in the military for many years. My youngest son serves in the Navy today. If he gets deployed, it'll be as a field medic with the Marines. In that regard, he'll be risking his life for our country and could easily get killed. Combat medics have a high mortality rate. It comes with the job. If I found out that he was killed because some stupid reporter blabbed "because it was news", I swear it right now that I would track that reporter down if it was the last thing I ever did and make him pay in the most gruesome and painful manner I know.