Re "Bush Seeking to Shift Iraq Focus to the Positive," Oct. 9: President Bush is doing his usual trick of trying to convince Americans that now we will have new, better control on the occupation of Iraq under national security advisor Condoleezza Rice, when what he really is doing is putting a spin on the media reporting.
Instead of reporting on all the riots, rock-throwing, attacks and killings by Iraqis, now the media will be informing us of soccer games, new schools, etc., which will give us a positive attitude on what is happening there.
The facts won't change, but what we are told will be changed. Then we will support this quagmire, which is killing our troops and Iraqis with no end in sight. What will happen to reporters who report on the anger and violence by Iraqis? Will they be punished or banished from Iraq?
And why isn't anyone reporting on how many Iraqis are killed? As far as I can tell, about 20,000, including civilians and military Iraqis, have died because of the war. Are we so arrogant that we think Iraqi deaths caused by our forces aren't important?