[Jacob]

"Jacob, are you trying to tell me that by making this public the Iraqis will hate the Coalition forces?
NEWSFLASH: THEY KNEW."

Yes. Because it was reported. Surely the only Iraqi's who should've known were the ones who witnessed/were involved in it. The rest found out from News sources.

"Why do you think that nearly 80 percent of the poeple want the U.S. out of the nation?"

As of late i've heard loads of random figures bounded around - from 80% are anti-coalition to 70% are pro-coalition and thankful Saddam has gone. I don't really care for the figures anymore.

"How are people supposed to stop this if there is a media blackout? How will these people be tried if there is a media blackout?"

Just because there's a Media Blackout doesn't mean the Government(s) cannot get the info.

Besides, when i said 'Media Blackout', i was refering to a temporary one. Okay, if we must know, fine, tell us, but why tell us whilst we're still in the country, it doesn't help.

"And rest assured while there may be a media blackout darker than Satan's ass in America what is stopping independent news agencies in Iraq and elsewhere from reporting it"

As naive as this may sound, i think the Governments should just explain to all the press that they can have all the stories of awfulness they want - but tell them it'd be best to publish such information come the leave of Iraq, 'cos it puts the Soldiers lives in danger otherwise.

I mean, look what happened in [insert random Muslim country here] when it was said that the Military were making Muslims use the Koran for toilet paper - there was a MASSIVE riot on an idiotic scale and innocents were killed. ...over something that turned out to be false anyway.

So to say "Oh, we can't not have a Media black out! We must know such things!" is stupid, because what's more important - a person's life or our knowledge about something we can't change and we probably won't change.

All it gives us is something to talk about and go "Oh, how awful! Somebody should do something!" for a moment or two before we get on with our lives, whilst the Soldiers in Iraq have to deal with the consequences of some random twat unloading a few rounds into Mr. Innocent-Brown 2006.

"I fundamentally believe that ignorance is NOT bliss, you seemingly think differently."

I never said it was. I merely said i'm sure the Newspapers can wait before putting Soldiers' lives on the line for a few extra sales.