This "day in the life" story seems factual and accurate enough. It draws a very negative and depressing picture without any information from anyone with hope. This embed operation didn't happen in a vacuum. These reporters have opportunities to get more perspective on the situation than comes from the feet in the street. The story surfaces an important viewpoint but we have no way of assessing whether it's pervasive or isolated.

Though this story begins anecdotally with the real concerns of a homesick soldier, its central point underscores the major weakness in the administration's strategy in conducting its war in Iraq--soldiers ordered to carry out Bush's flawed strategy are not provided with reliable intelligence. This reporter traveled with Apache Company to a volatile area to observe the real problems of applying Bush strategy, and in direct, non-sentimental language, tells the story of how truly difficult that is.