America is at war.

Starting Sunday, air strikes began throughout Afghanistan. Bush administration officials said that this week?s operations are part of a larger war against terrorism. According to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, this war could last years. Not all of what Bush calls “the first war of the 21st century” will be fought militarily. The Bush administration has mentioned a variety of political, economic and “covert” aspects that this war will include.

One thing is certain: sacrifice will be required from American citizens, including citizens from our community. Military reservists from this area, including students at Sacramento State, are already being called upon for active service. The State Hornet is proud of their courage and is grateful for their service to the nation. We encourage the Bush administration to employ our human resources wisely.

Winston Churchill once said that the first casualty of war is the truth. This does not have to be the case. We hope the government will allow us to monitor our loved ones and understand the type of conflict they are engaging in. The only way this will be possible is through the press. Attempts to stymie reporters in recent conflicts have been disturbing. In the Gulf War in 1991, reporters were corralled into tightly controlled “media pools.” They were fed information from military and government sources. And as a result coverage of the war was myopic at best. There were false perceptions of the accuracy of the bombing campaign and the ability of the military to avoid civilian casualties. Similar coverage has occurred in other modern campaigns.

It is up to the Bush administration to make sure that vital information stays secret. However, a free and independent press is essential to democracy. To contribute to the war effort, we must have an informed public. We hope the government will ensure one.