Media Challenged With How Much To Report On US Military Actions

A front-page story by USA Today reporting that US special forces had already been covertly operating in Afghanistan for two weeks has stirred up controversy for journalists. At issue is whether USA Today's story, which was picked up by AP and CNN, may have endanger US military forces. The Boston Globe writes, "with the administration stressing the need for secrecy and stealth, some of the public reaction [to the USA Today story] accused journalists of unpatriotically divulging covert military action. And as the debate rages over how much reporting can and should be done without endangering Americans, observers say the media - as well as its military - face the daunting challenges of a wholly different kind of war."