People Betrayed by Government and Media

House Democrat and former military hawk, Rep. John Murtha's demand for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, and the reactive Republicans' forced vote on the issue -- along with angry shots fired from both sides -- was little more than the latest dose of shameless political posturing in advance of the 2006 elections.

Though many people know it's just calculated politics, like former president Clinton declaring the war was a mistake, most Americans are probably weary of the rancorous rhetoric, and deeply troubled by relentless negativity about the conflict in Iraq and the war against terror. Unfortunately, the news media are largely responsible for that.

Worse, the people surely feel insecure and betrayed by government and the media during these dangerous times. Indeed, the Commander-in-Chief should bring us up to date and keep us informed about what is going on in Iraq, including the good things, which is something we seldom, if ever, hear from the media.