As we mourn the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, the question begs:  How could we have averted this tragic folly?  As a journalist, I have naturally thought about what our profession could have done.  It seems clear to me that an enterprising reporter could have discovered  that the (alleged) evidence of WMD was manufactured, out of date, or relied on extremely dubious sources like the aptly named "Curveball."

I ask myself why we seem to find out what’s wrong only when a disaster has happened.  After the coal mine explodes, we learn that proper safety procedures weren’t being followed.  And only after a Hurricane Katrina do we learn how unprepared we were for a natural disaster.  To encourage the media to find out in time instead of too late, Understanding Government is offering a $50,000 award for preventive journalism, for the best article that identifies inept leaders, misguided policies, and bureaucratic bungling in time to prevent another disaster.

– Charles Peters

Nominations are accepted through June 30, 2008.  For more information, please click here.

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