I understand your position--and you are right. However, your pre-occupation with partisan politics makes you miss the forest.

It is the nature of the news media to focus on the news that its audience wants to see. Unfortunately this is more a reflection on us than on the media.

We want to see train wrecks----not trains arriving at the station on time. A bombed mosque, wailing women, torn apart children get more viewership than GI's handing out soup at a soup kitchen or toys to tots. (In fact, this would probably be denigrated as a blatant PR gesture.)

Yes I noted the Olympic entry of Iraq. Along with you, and millions of others, saulte this as a great triumph of human spirit. I am very much aware of Uday's treatment of Iraqui track athletes.

Temper your angst a little by remembering the media dictum that good news is no news.

Publius