At the time you read this, the conflict in Iraq has been going on for about 14 days. Most of us already loathe turning on a news channel to get an update on the war. This is most likely because the once familiar “update” is now replaced by play-by-play action.

In order to make this style of coverage work, an extraordinary amount of information is disclosed to the public at all times of day. And how can all this information be released without an American reporter under every rock in Iraq? Reporting on the conflict has become tiring not only because of the style, but because of the behavior of some of the reporters.

Peter Arnett was fired by NBC and National Geographic on Monday for his interesting comments on the war. He chose to do an interview on state-controlled Iraqi television and made the following comment: “The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance. Now they are trying to write another war plan. Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces.”

It is disappointing that any American would give comfort to a regime we are at war with. But his mistake is certainly not the only inappropriate behavior we have seen from journalists during the Iraqi conflict.

As you are aware, the Pentagon responded to demands from the media and other critics by allowing a swarm of journalists to be embedded with military divisions. This can be credited, at least in part, to those on the left who accuse the Bush administration of being highly secretive. Andy Rooney describes it as “the most secret American administration ever.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that it is important for Americans to put pressure on our government to release appropriate information to the public. But the extraordinary pressure on this administration to reveal as much information as possible makes it understandable that the Pentagon authorized embedded reporters. And now it seems the common clich‚ fits the situation: Be careful what you wish for — you just might get it.

With embedded reporters in virtually every major military division operating in Iraq, we are under a constant barrage of information, much of which is inappropriate for our ears. While I would agree with those who would take issue with the media’s reality-show-like coverage, I see a bigger problem arising from this situation. Every tidbit of information we hear on our news channels, the Iraqi regime is able to hear as well.

For example, two days ago I saw a report on CNN that left me downright angry. The embedded reporter in an army division showcased a strategy that our troops were using to avoid violence. Enormous speakers were placed atop armored vehicles that broadcast deafening tank sounds at the enemy positions. The report showed video of these speakers, while the reporter mentioned the tactics our soldiers would use to trick the Iraqi troops into believing there was a much larger fighting force. The reporter said the equipment is used with the hopes that the enemy troops would surrender or at least be confused as to the direction they should fire.

On top of it all, the footage revealed the city the troops were approaching.

Well, now the enemy troops know what’s going on, don’t they? The American people have their opportunity to see this strategy in action. Meanwhile the Iraqi Information Ministry is notifying their troops of the situation. How is the coalition supposed to win this war if the tactics they use are broadcast live to the enemy troops?

While the reporters in the field are revealing American tactics, the anchors at home are constantly questing the overall direction of the war. Our great military analysts by the name of CNN, Fox News and MSNBC are now letting the American public know that the initial strategy implemented was a failure and we need to re-develop our war plan. What a great incentive for the Iraqi troops to surrender. When listening to many American media “experts,” you would think that Iraq is winning.

Believe it or not, this may be a situation where more, rather than less, censorship is needed. While military officials do brief the reporters on what kinds of information they can release, they do not have direct control over live or even taped broadcasts. I’m actually surprised the Pentagon hasn’t already fixed this problem. The Iraqi hype coming from their television network was silenced by the Pentagon, and perhaps its time to silence the American hype.