The real problem with public perceptions on the war in Iraq, the White House and its allies argue, is that we’re all too focused on the negative. News outlets focus on violence, kidnappings, U.S. casualties, and a country on the brink of disaster. Conservatives have argued that the media is not only misleading the electorate, it’s actually making the challenges in Iraq worse.
Apparently, the U.S. State Department didn’t get the memo. (thanks to reader DH for the tip)
From the State Department’s current Iraq travel advisory:
“. . . strongly warn U.S. citizens against travel to Iraq, which remains very dangerous . . . planned and random killings, as well as extortions and kidnappings . . . continue to be targeted by insurgent groups and opportunistic criminals for kidnapping and murder . . . credible information that terrorists are targeting civil aviation. … Extremely high risk to road transportation . . . attacks occur throughout the day . . . heavy use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), especially new-type Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs). …”
Yet once again, we don’t hear about all the good things happening there.
In fact, here’s the full advisory from the State Department. It’s quite a downer — the report characterizes the life of everyone in Iraq as being in near-constant danger.
What about traveling to some of the more stable provinces? Where are the references to schools that have been opened? It’s a shame that the State Department has been swayed by the underhanded media that has scurrilously convinced Americans that all is not well in Iraq.