AWOL Journalism

[darrels joy]

AWOL Journalism
Are American troops in Iraq beset by morale problems? That's what the Associated Press seems to be trying to suggest with a dispatch headlined "Some Troops Don't Return to Iraq From R&R":

More than a dozen American troops haven't return to duty after getting a vacation from Iraq, the Pentagon said Tuesday, dismissing suggestions there is any significant AWOL problem.

When you read on, it seems the Pentagon is right to dismiss those suggestions:

In the first five days of return flights starting Oct. 12, 28 people didn't show up, [Army spokesman Joe] Burlas said. After tracking them down, it was learned that 20 had permission or some reason. The other eight were unaccounted for, as were eight who also missed flights in the last five days.

So 16 soldiers remain unaccounted for. That's slightly over 0.5% of the 3,000 who went on leave. "None has been declared 'absent without leave' as officials try to sort out the cases," the AP adds. So why exactly is this a story?