Why no photos of dead American soldiers?

The instinctive need to be the member of a closely knit group fighting for common ideals may grow so strong that it becomes inessential what these ideals are. - Konrad Lorenz

Why does the Pentagon not allow publications of images of dead American soldiers killed in Iraq? The enemy is happy to show images of their dead soldiers. Why the difference in policy?

Each side will have a policy that is supposed to benefit their cause. When the Iraqi resistance fighters show images of their dead it will help their recruitment and gain support from the populace. When images of dead American soldiers are shown, the opposite effect happens. Recruitment becomes difficult and popular support wanes when Americans see images of dead American soldiers. This happened in the Vietnam war. Its what happens in an open society. In a dictatorship it is easy to control the information received by the masses. In a democracy that allows free speech the masses discuss issues among themselves. This is why wars of a democracy state cannot last as long as wars of a totalitarian state. Images of dead soldiers will create emotions among the people that will create dialog which will ask questions. People in leadership positions get asked often to explain their decisions. This is why many people do not like to become leaders, they have to explain their decision.

Why does one side gain support and another side lose support from the same policy? It is easy for the local Iraqi people to see the American soldier as the enemy and part of the problem. After seeing their dead Iraqi neighbors the Iraqi populace wishes the enemy to go away.

When Americans see images of dead American soldiers they start asking questions about why our men are dying in a foreign country. Americans simply start assessing the costs of the dead. If they never see images of the dead they do not realize all the cost.

Crowds go crazy, quickly, as a group. They come to their senses slowly, one at a time. This is evident by the frenzied crowd support for the war in Iraq in March 2003. In August 2006 only 40% of Americans supported the war. Democracies do not like long wars. Americans get bored easily. They want the game to be over so they can look for their next entertainment. They want a winner. They do not like ambiguity.

Bilbo Baggins