Obama reviewing media ban on covering troop deaths

[The Straight Story]

Obama reviewing media ban on covering troop deaths


WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US government is reviewing its ban on media coverage of the flag-draped coffins of fallen soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Barack Obama said Monday.

Signaling doubts over the controversial policy put in place by the administration of his predecessor George W. Bush, Obama told his first press conference the issue was being reexamined.

"We are in the process of reviewing those policies in conversations with the Department of Defense," he told journalists in the East Room of the White House.

Bush had drawn fire for the decision, with critics accusing the administration of trying to downplay the impact of the two wars which together have cost the lives of about 5,000 US troops.

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