Iraq: Five Years and Fading

(VoteVets chairman Jon Soltz took part in our veteran's series last year. Today Soltz shares some thoughts on the media and our ongoing wars. Originally published at the Huffington Post, reprinted by permission.)

This marks the five-year anniversary of the war in Iraq. Usually, I'm against the media playing up these kinds of things. After all, the five-year date is no different than the day before in Iraq, or the day after in Iraq. Troops are still under attack, some die, some are wounded every day in Iraq, and no anniversary changes that.

This year, I feel a bit different. Recent studies have shown that the news coverage of the war in Iraq has faded, buried in the back pages of the paper or in C-blocks of shows, if it's covered at all. While John McCain and George Bush talk about being on the path to victory (which is still undefined, by the way), polls show that the American people may be starting to believe it, because the news hasn't taken a look at the situation on the ground, and doesn't tell them anything different. Yet, as I noted a couple of weeks ago, troops on the ground are still reporting that their morale is incredibly low, with just 11 percent saying morale is high or very high.

So, maybe this five-year date will jog the media out of its Iraq-fatigue, and force them to confront what is happening, and report on it.

Maybe they'll can the stories on Eliot Spitzer's prostitute getting offers to pose for Playboy, and start reporting on another woman -- a woman who was awarded the Silver Star for her service in Afghanistan.

Maybe they'll report on an incredible new proposal for responsibly ending the war in Iraq, and refocusing on the real threat to America (al Qaeda in Afghanistan), put together by candidates for Congress, retired military brass, veterans and foreign policy experts. This proposal deserves an hour news program all to itself; it is so chocked full of solid plans that it deserves serious public consideration and debate.

Maybe they'll stop obsessing over preachers who endorse Obama or McCain, or Gerry Ferraro's views on race and politics, and talk about a more important split -- the growing divide among extreme radicals in the Madhi Army, some of whom view Muqtada al-Sadr as too "pro-American." Unlike politicians and preachers, this divide could ultimate unleash an explosion of violence in Iraq.

Maybe I'm hoping for too much. If the media follows their pattern, they'll take a brief pause tomorrow to remember there's a war in Iraq and war in Afghanistan. Then it'll be back to talk of prostitutes and celebrity breakdowns.

For those interested in what's really going on the in the world, though, take a look at the largest community dedicated to discussing the wars and military and veterans' issues, VetVoice.com. Unlike in the traditional media, over there today is no different than tomorrow and the day after tomorrow is no different than the day before.