'Freedom of the press'

In addition to dangling little treats for those journalists willing to sacrifice a little integrity for a little access by embedding themselves with the US military, it's now becoming increasingly difficult for those who didn't submit so cavalierly to the lure of easy, sanitised news stories. As a new offensive is launched against Najaf, the Iraqi military order all reporters to leave Najaf. Coming so soon after Al Jazeera was banned in the country, it seems like the biggest threat to democracy in Iraq is actually having an informed electorate. No surprise there - any number of Fascist and communist dictators could have told us that.