In this time of war, it's difficult to decide what to cover, but one thing journalists should definitely NOT do is ignore when the so-called "good-guys" screw up. The truth is the truth. It's that simple. The other day when watching CNN on Television, viewers were informed that while Iraqi officials were threatening to display dead US soldiers and US POWs on TV, the US Government claimed that they were missing no personnel. However, a handful of hours later and Iraqi officials made good on their promise. The US Government had lied to the press - there were troops MIA - but did CNN point out that sometimes the Government and the military have to lie to protect operations? No.
It's fine to watch CNN and other American news outlets, but just be sure to balance it out with news sources from other countries. Because balance is just something you won't get from reporters in America. Sadly, enough...
Please check out the Sky News article here. If it's gone, please check out page 2 to read the text of the article.
From Sky News:
AIR RAID HITS MARKET
At least 15 Iraqi civilians are reported to have been killed when an Allied air raid missed its target and hit a busy market in northern Baghdad, according to reports.
An Iraqi information ministry official said there were "many, many casualties".
Speaking from Baghdad, Sky News correspondent David Chater said two missiles appear to have gone astray in "terrible" weather conditions and hit the market and an apartment block.
He said there are "scenes of chaos" in the streets, with many people injured by shrapnel and concrete.
"It seems to be one of the worst incidents so far," Chater said.
The mood among the people was "pretty ugly", he added.
Chater said: "I don't have any idea where these missiles came from, whether they are cruise missiles or something else. They have obviously gone astray in the terrible weather conditions."
US and British planes and missiles have pounded the Iraqi capital since the start of the war on Thursday.
Throughout the night, US-led bombing raids on the Iraqi capital have targeted Iraqi television and satellite communication centres for the first time.
Repeated air raids around dawn on Wednesday saw Tomahawk cruise missiles and bombs focus on Iraq's domestic television station and a satellite news channel.
The US said it had targeted Iraqi communications in an effort to damage President Saddam Hussein's ability to control the country.
Baghdad was reported to have been hit by at least 40 explosions overnight, most of them concentrated in the city's south.
Iraq's satellite TV went off the air at 4.30am local time (1.30am GMT) but was back on air six hours later, Chater reported.
Iraq's domestic television station does not broadcast overnight but began broadcasting verses of the Koran around 9am (6am GMT).
However, the station went off the air for a short period during bombing late on Tuesday evening.
When broadcasting resumed, a station official blamed a "technical problem in the transmitters" for the blackout.
State radio was working.
Saddam's trusted Republican Guards have dug in on the southern flank of the city to defend it and came under attack from British Tornadoes.
No anti-aircraft fire could be seen during the latest aerial attacks and air raid sirens remained silent in the city of more than five million people.
Eyewitness reports said smoke could be seen rising from an area of Baghdad where the Information Ministry is situated.
The Iraqi leadership widely uses television to rally people against the invasion and carry news conferences.
The raids came as a sandstorm that has enveloped Baghdad and hampered visibility eased.
Last Updated: 12:54 UK, Wednesday March 26, 2003
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