CBS Lara Logan: There are no "good news story" in Iraq

[sabra]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/18/notebook/main2016650_page3.shtml

(CBS) An American general says they're making progress. Another general wants to share the "good news story" that’s not being reported by the media. I listen intently, paying attention to every word, waiting for it. I will tell it. Let me tell it. We wait. Lots of talking, words, "we are moving in the right direction, definitely."

And there it is. Nothing. Some talk about security being better in the neighborhoods where U.S. forces are present in great numbers — followed by an admission that violence is worse in areas where they are not present. Doesn't that cancel out the good? Make it meaningless? It's the same pattern seen over and over in Iraq for more than three years now — when U.S. forces move in, violence goes down — when they move out, it goes back to what it was, sometimes the same, but often worse. "Are there enough troops to secure the whole capital? Why can't you do that, general? Do you need more troops?" No answer. Lots of words, no answers. Who can touch that issue and still hold on to their military career?

...

More numbers:

3,827 total planned projects — program cost $12.10 billion
3,485 projects started — program cost $11.49 billion
643 under construction — program cost $4.29 billion
Total of 2,842 completed — cost $7.21 billion

There are other numbers, not paraded at news conferences. These you will find in audits of the Special Inspector General appointed by the U.S. government to monitor the rebuilding of Iraq:

500 contractors murdered — 200 of whom were U.S. citizens
$5 billion in reconstruction funds diverted to security
20 to 50 percent — estimated additional project money spent on security
Just two of more than 100 planned health clinics are operational

[zauberflote]

1. Powerful reporting

Need to keep this kicked.

[sabra]

2. Logan seems to always tell it like it is...

[indepat]

3. Well, it's easy to tell who are making out like bandits

[indepat]

4. Wonder if Katie will give this story its due?

[zauberflote]

5. Logan usually plays it straight

I don't find her CBS reports at all controversial. You can't make out whether she's left, right or center. She's a reporter first and when she expresses herself, as in this article or that magnificent Laura Ingraham smackdown on Howard Kurtz's show several months back, it's always to further the cause of finding truth wherever it may be.
But I'd love to see her get a commentary segement with Katie.