The gap between the reality of events on the ground and the manner in which they are reported in the media continues to be a topic of hot debate. While the media is quick to report on casualty figures, it is slow to report on the positive advances made by the new Iraqi government. Americans remain uninformed about everyday life in Iraq. Is there a “good news” story going untold?

What can be done to counter the media’s focus on the downside in Iraq? Has the negative portrayal of events in Iraq hurt soldiers who take pride in their mission and their accomplishments? What do the American people need to know about the progress and ongoing conflict in Iraq that has not reached the press? On May 17, AEI will host Cpl. Richard Gibson, U.S. Marine Corps; Lt. Lawrence Indyk, U.S. Army; and Sgt. J. D. Johannes, U.S. Marine Corps, all veterans of the Iraq War, who will address these and other questions about the media’s reporting of the conflict.