Baghdad ER

Last week there was a minor controversy when some top military leaders came out against the showing of HBO's new documentary Baghdad ER. They claimed it could hurt some American soldiers by causing a flare-up of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since this didn't seem very likely, I dismissed the story as silly and didn't think anymore about it. I saw the show tonight and I now understand why they didn't want the show to air.

It's not the soldiers these people are worried about seeing this show. Our brave soldiers have seen the worst things imaginable and endured incredible hardships. No TV show can match the horrors they've experienced. But there is another group that could be swayed by a well-made documentary like this one - VOTERS!

Many in leadership positions, both military and government, still remember when TV began to show nightly pictures of the pain, suffering and hopeless of our position in Vietnam. It did not take long before opposition to the war began to grow rapidly. Georgie and his henchmen understand this, and it scares the hell out of them.

Since the beginning of the war, they have tried to keep this kind of information from the public. That is why they ban reporters and pictures when the coffins of dead soldiers are returned to the U.S.. They are trying to keep as many of the "bad pictures" from the public as they can. Fox News trys to help Georgie by parroting his lies, but even that won't help Georgie if the truth comes out elsewhere.

What tiny bit of credibility Georgie has left is tied up in the Iraq War. HBO's documentary comes at a bad time for him. With the public already turning against the war, Georgie cannot afford for the people to be told a little truth. But HBO has done it anyway.

The show is both powerful and graphic. I recommend you see it. It won't hurt any soldiers, but it might change some minds about Iraq. I hope so.