Shoot to Kill

John Burns of The Times on PBS tonight says that Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi has essentially issued shoot to kill orders on any journalist trying to move independently through the city of Najaf. Now exactly whom Allawi issued the orders to considering many Iraqi forces have quit now rather than kill fellow Iraqis remains unclear but there's some speculation that American forces would abide by this order. Journalists embedded with American troops are supposedly not affected.

This is the "free" Iraq when journalists trying to cover events in Najaf face execution? What is Mr. Allawi concerned they will see and report? That's the essential question to be asked here or why else would Allawi issue such a heinous order?