Michelle Malkin, amongst others, notes the disparity in coverage between the words spoken by Eason Jordan and those spoken by Gen Mattis. I can't help thinking there is a different point here - and one that also applies to the dispicable Ward Churchill and Larry Summer's heresy - namely that the West, and particularly America in these cases, seems to be the only human culture where the military is accorded less respect than the scribes that report events.
If as certain people - that means you "liberals" - thought for a moment you would realise that only in a place where democracy and related concepts such as that of civilian political control over the military were in effect would this be possible. In dictatorships around the world from Burma to Uzbekistan this is not the case. Any Cuban, Chinese, Iranian or North Korean etc. journalist to criticize a local equivalent of Gen Mattis would be swiftly regretting his criticism, probably assisted by some friendly people with implements that would make the USA's Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo look like a holiday camp.
On the other hand Mr Jordan has made equally "controversial" comments but these, unlike those of Gen Mattis, have been generally unreported and certainly failed to have any criticism from a fellow MSM journalist. Funny that. The pen, or the TV camera, does appear to be more powerful than the sword in our society.
I draw two lessons from this: firstly that the dangers of fascism in Amerikkka, as claimed by left wing morons of all sorts would seem to be rather over-rated. Secondly, that this healthy situation relies strongly on the good will of the men with guns. If Jordan is right that the US military has targetted accidentally-on-purpose certain journalists, something that I doubt unless he produces evidence, then perhaps he and his fellow journalists might like to consider why. Arrogant opinionated journalists who misquote or twist the story outside of a warzone just annoy people with no way to strike back. Angering soldiers in a war is rather more likely to have negative results for the journalist.