The cost of the war

By: Sarah Harl

There are many ways to determine the cost of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dollars spent, lives lost, or lives changed.

But what about the media and what they do or do not report?

In a recent blog, Blake Lambert's opinion is discussed. Many times when a war correspondent is taking captive, the media network the reporter works with requests that no outgoing information leave the country in order to ensure that their reporter is returned safely. Lambert believes this to be the wrong solution.

According to Lambert, information should never be withheld from the public, nor should news be used in political negotiations.

The people should know exactly what is happening in the wars that their government is spending money on.

And, apparently it is only necessary to keep journalistic news secret when the kidnapped is a reporter. When a politician, aid worker, or anyone else is abducted, the media is quick to report that abduction, regardless of whether it will jeopardize their safe return.

So maybe what the media withholds from the public to protect their own is another cost of this war.