What freedom?

Iraqi journalists are complaining of restrictions while trying to report fairly. Iraqi and American forces are making numerous arbitrary arrests, frequently without cause. "If things carry on like this, we will have to carry weapons along with our cameras and recorders," said Israa Shakir, editor of Iraq Today, an independent Baghdad newspaper. "Under such circumstances, we should be worried about the future of democracy."

While Western journalists are housed in a few hotels in Baghdad, rarely venturing outside to determine what real Iraqis think of the occupation, Iraqi journalists are on the ground and risking their lives to report bombings, arrests etc. Al-Jazeera is still banned in Iraq. The Iraqi government talks about fighting "terrorism" but in the process is reverting to techniques refined during the days of Saddam.