Thursday February 26, 2009, 10:40 am

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WASHINGTON — News organizations will be allowed to photograph the homecomings of America's war dead under a new Pentagon policy, defense and congressional officials said Thursday.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has decided to allow photos of flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base, Del., if the families of the fallen troops agree, the officials told The Associated Press.

Gates planned to announce his decision later Thursday, they said. The current ban was put in place in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush.

Some critics have contended the government was trying to hide the human cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But a spokeswoman for a military family group said the group was disappointed in the policy change. "This is a complete disregard for the will of America's military families and the need for their privacy during this solemn moment," said Meghan Tisinger, spokeswoman for Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission.

At least two Democratic senators have called on President Barack Obama to let news photographers attend ceremonies at the air base and other military facilities when military remains are returned to the United States. The Dover base is where casualties are brought before they are transferred on to the hometowns of their families.

Gates told reporters earlier this month that he was reviewing the policy and that if the needs of the families could be met, and the privacy concerns could be addressed, he favored honoring fallen troops as much as possible.

Gates said he initially asked for the ban to be reviewed a year ago, and was advised then that family members might feel uncomfortable with opening the ceremonies to media for privacy reasons or that the relatives might feel pressure to attend the services despite financial stresses.

Shortly after Obama took office, Democratic Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey also asked the White House to roll back the 1991 ban.

Over the years, some exceptions to the policy were made, allowing the media to photograph coffins in some cases, until the administration of President George W. Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A leading military families group has said that the policy, enforced without exception during George W. Bush's presidency, should be changed so that survivors of the dead can decide whether photographers can record their return.

As of Wednesday, at least 4,251 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

As of Tuesday, at least 584 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Friday at 10 a.m. EST.

Over the years, there have been a number of challenges to the policy.

Under pressure from open-government advocates, the Pentagon in 2005 released hundreds of the military's own images of flag-draped coffins from the two ongoing wars, previous wars and from military accidents. The photographs were released in response to a Freedom of Information request and lawsuit.

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On the Net:

Defense Department: http://www.defense.gov

Thursday February 26, 2009, 7:16 pm
Obarma is certainly taking anew broom to the fascist Bush administration excesses..

Thursday February 26, 2009, 7:23 pm
PUT IT ALL OUT THERE and let the Americna people judge for them$elve$ ... don't hide the war$ and don't "sanitize them" for the American public ...

I want to see every single American family that has to meet a ca$ket becau$e of Bu$h'$ lie$ ... I wnat to blanket every television program in the U$A with the$e picture$ ... let the American people realize what the RepubliCON$ havwe done ... and let the American people DEMAND THAT EVERY REPUBLICON SEND A RELATIVE TO WAR BEFORE VOTING FOR A WAR.

Thursday February 26, 2009, 7:25 pm
When will the "media pundits" begin interviewing American families who have lo$t a family member becau$e of RepubliCON lie$?

Will Joe $car and Hannity and Limaugh and Beck and Malkin and Dobbs feature these sorrowful families on their broadcasts?

Friday February 27, 2009, 11:20 pm
I'm glad that the sacrifices made by our troops and their families can finally be seen and felt by their county men!! It shows the honesty of this administration and the dishonesty of the last one!! War exacts a terrible price. Hiding it doesn't change the price and it disrespects the lives and service that were given. Good for President Obama!!

Saturday February 28, 2009, 8:42 am
I believe if people were shown this, some of the Bush lovers would change their minds. Then finally realize what scum that administration was. They hid it for a reason. To keep their noses clean. And I agree with Margi, hiding it,disrespects the lives and service given.

Saturday February 28, 2009, 10:35 am
Anyone who uses the coffens of dead solders, pro or anti war, is scum.

Saturday February 28, 2009, 7:13 pm
Any American who can't bear to look at the coffin of a dead soldier should NEVER VOTE FOR WAR

Sunday March 1, 2009, 2:07 am
Breaking news!!!

US Gives China Eminent Domain Over US Property - Beyond High Treason(Updated)

Source: http://www.care2.com/news/member/732435532/1066523

Thursday March 26, 2009, 9:03 am
It's amazing that this has gone on for as long as it has. Why is it that this was never contested by the public?

Friday March 27, 2009, 2:22 pm
By the public? The public did contest it .. it was the media that wouldn't carry the protests or give protestors a "headline" ... they just parroted the Bu$h!t admini$tation'$ "talking point$"

President Obama has reversed this, thankfully!