Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard was a 21 year old Marine who succumbed to injuries in Afghanistan recently. Julie Jacobson of Associated Press had captured a picture of Bernard as he lay in the mud after an ambush. The picture was published recently on front pages and it has sparked a debate in America. It is intriguing that instead of war which is killing young innocent soldiers and civilians, the pictures of war are becoming controversial.

The picture really hits home reality of war which is being fought far elsewhere but is killing young American soldiers. Maybe government is worried about the impact of such pictures on the American people. As it is after the end of Bush era not everyone is supportive about this never ending war on foreign shores. Democrats have already warned President Barack Obama against sending more troops to Afghanistan.

Yes, the debate is legitimate about using picture of dying young soldier on front page but the primary duty of war photojournalists is to bring home the grim truth about war through images. Hope reality hits really hard this time and debate shifts to war itself and finally this war comes to an end before many more young lives are lost.

Via Guardian