Michael Totten writes about what the Army wanted him to see.

Is this a declaration of Victory?

Unlike some of the commenters to that story, I think introspection is a good thing. It's far from perfect in that the natural claim for any reporter, sincere or not, is that they haven't been affected by bias from the military or elsewhere. As I see it, Totten is probably right that the US Army hasn't tried in the least to influence his story. But at the same time, I bet they let him in places (like Mushadah) that they wouldn't let the troublemakers enter. So there is a way for the US military to reward him. But I keep this possibility in mind, I don't let it dominate my thinking.

I think his openness about his interactions with the US military is helpful. It doesn't completely address my concerns about possible bias, but nothing short of traveling with him and seeing the same sights would do that.