AS SPECULATED:

U.S. allows broadcasts to continue Pentagon wants to use networks to keep eye on enemy leadership (Dave Moniz, 3/25/03, USA TODAY)

Six days into the war against Iraq, the United States has yet to knock Iraqi TV off the air.

Defense officials and military experts say the Pentagon made a calculated decision to keep Iraq's state-run network running so it could monitor broadcasts and follow the activities of Saddam Hussein and Iraq's political leadership.

U.S. officials also feared civilian casualties if they destroyed transmitting equipment, defense officials say.

On Monday, a Pentagon official said the United States would eventually take over Iraq's TV network once Saddam is removed from power to keep the Iraqi people informed of developments.

Another possible factor in the decision: The Bush administration wants as little damage to the country's infrastructure as possible because the United States will have to foot the bill for rebuilding Iraq.

Why take them out if we're going to have to them up again this weekend? Posted by Orrin Judd at March 25, 2003 2:24 PM