Voices in the Wilderness BANNED from Palestine Hotel (pic & article)

the u.s. military/government wants absolute control of the media message coming from baghdad. they will not stand for any report or journalist who files a story that does not fall into line with their version of events.

1 of 4 things will happen.

just as in afghanistan, the 1000's of media personnel and journalists now in baghdad will be called back from iraq, as the story will be deemed "unimportant" by their editors, and the story will disappear completely. just as the story of afghanistan has disappeared completly. obviously, this would benefit the bush admin.

events in baghdad, regarding the building of democracy in iraq, will actually go smoothly, so there will be no critical stories filed by the press, and no need for the u.s. martial government to crack down.

or, events in baghdad regarding the building of democracy in iraq will NOT go smoothly at all. but the press, fearing a crackdown by the u.s. martial government, fearing they will be thrown out of iraq (hmm, just as saddam hussien's government did...), will not file any critical stories that present the truth, and therefore the u.s. martial government will have succeeded in controlling the story through fear of retribution.

or, events in baghdad regarding the building of democracy in iraq will NOT go smoothly at all, but the press will grow some cajones, will refuse to be led around, and will report stories which illustrate the truth, and despite a massive increase in crackdowns by the u.s. martial governemnt, will succeed in defeating the u.s. martial government's attempts at controlling the images and the facts.

there is a huge amount riding on events in baghdad for the bush admin. it is not surprising the u.s. martial government will try to do all that it possibly can to make events there look happy, joyful, simple, back & white, and under control.