Pentagon Accused of Censoring U.S. Military Casualties in Iran War by The Guardian
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, The British newspaper The Guardian has published an article detailing a significant controversy within American media circles surrounding the Pentagon’s alleged deliberate policy to limit information on U.S. military casualties in the war with Iran.
David Smith’s article cites former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta, who has described the Pentagon’s handling of casualty records as a “shameful approach.” Panetta believes there is a concerted effort to withhold information from the American public.
Panetta asserts that the government has a duty to inform citizens about the true cost of wars the nation is involved in. However, the Department of Defense has not held a press conference for nearly two and a half months, a move critics view as a fundamental shift in its media communication strategy.
The Pentagon is accused of restricting war-related information flow out of fear of increasing public anger in the lead-up to the midterm elections.
The article explains that the war has entered a more complex phase following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran and the resumption of daily military attacks. This situation has heightened concerns about the conflict escalating into a protracted and costly war, contradicting President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to avoid “endless wars.”
The report examines casualty figures, noting the deaths of 18 American soldiers and injuries to hundreds more. It emphasizes that these figures were announced with significant delay, with the Pentagon only acknowledging them after they appeared on social media networks.
Some analysts believe the administration is aware that the combination of war costs, rising fuel prices, inflation, and human casualties could lead to diminished public support for the war and impact its political future.
The article states that the Department of Defense has initiated a series of unprecedented actions to create tension with American media outlets. These measures include excluding certain major media institutions from their Pentagon headquarters and granting greater privileges to media outlets perceived as closer to the government.
The U.S. Department of Defense has also imposed further restrictions on journalists’ access within the Pentagon building, requiring them to be accompanied by official staff.
The Guardian also addresses the economic cost of the war, explaining that it has reached tens of billions of dollars. This comes at a time when the administration faces increasing criticism in Congress for continuous requests for additional funding without a clear strategy for ending the conflict.
The article concludes with a quote from Leon Panetta stating, “Attempts to limit information may delay the emergence of truth, but they will ultimately not prevent it, because the press, despite all limitations, will continue to seek facts, and the truth will always be revealed in the end.”
