No Media When War Casualties Return

[zoziw]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060416/flag_afghanistan__060424/20060424?hub=TopStories

The media will be barred from the airfield at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., when a plane carrying the remains of four Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan lands Tuesday evening.
In the past, television and print media have been invited to attend when bodies of Canadian soldiers who have fallen overseas are repatriated.
News organizations were informed of the unprecedented media ban at CFB Trenton just before the end of the business day in Ottawa, on Monday.
Government officials said the policy is permanent.

er...how many troops are they anticipating we will lose?

The move echoes an attempt in 2003 by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. Worried over diminishing public support for the Iraq war, Washington imposed a publication ban on images of coffins carrying American troops home.

 

[Avatar]

I've been very impressed with the Harper government so far, but I strongly disagree with this decision. It was a point of pride for me in this nation that media coverage enabled all of us to honour our fallen troops. This smacks of the US policy to sheild the masses from the truth.

No sir, not impressed.

 

[zoziw]

I've kind of developed mixed feelings about this since posting.

The media can cover the coffins leaving Afghanistan, can cover their arrival here (from a distance) and can cover the funeral service to the extent the family will allow them.

That seems like an awful lot of coverage for a .gov that is trying to hide casualties.

Maybe it is just to give the families some breathing room when their family member comes back.

 

[Kyle359]

I've been very impressed with the Harper government so far, but I strongly disagree with this decision. It was a point of pride for me in this nation that media coverage enabled all of us to honour our fallen troops. This smacks of the US policy to sheild the masses from the truth.

No sir, not impressed.

Neither am I. I never really liked him in the first place, but his practise of attacking the media is making me like him all the less.

er...how many troops are they anticipating we will lose?

That's up to the voters to decide. We'll stay until the voters say otherwise. In the mean time, expect more casualties - Kandahar is the Wild West of Afghanistan. Especially now, because winter is over and spring always brings an upsurge of activity.