BBC journalist Alan Johnston, who was released by his captors on July 4th after being held for 114 days in Gaza, says he will not return. Johnston was the last full-time Western journalist in Gaza and his departure (albeit understandable) sets a strong precedent for the power of Hamas to govern the region–control of media coverage being at least as important as military power.

40 journalists have been kidnapped around the world so far in 2007. 13 killed; 17 still in captivity.

Perhaps groups like Hamas and al Qaeda are doing Western governments a favor by kidnapping reporters. If journalists lose their resolve to enter places like Gaza and Iraq it will be up to the occupying/ruling forces to provide the news, or provide no news at all, which is what we suspect the current US administration has been gunning for all along.