Tonight, coalition forces took out the Iraqi state-run television headquarters with a massive missile strike. Satellite communications systems in another complex were also destroyed. Both domestic and satellite Iraqi television is now off the air indefinitely.

Granted, Iraqi television is operated by the state, but by what definition is a television network a military target? Is the BBC a valid military target? Employees of the network are no doubt civilians, civilians attacked with no warning and attempt to preserve their lives.

The coalition command can make the argument that the satellite facilities, housed separately, were in use by the Iraqi military for communications. I can't argue with that logic. But why destroy the TV network's headquarters building in blatant disregard for civilian lives?

The new coalition party line: "We'll conserve civilian lives as long as those civilians aren't saying anything we don't want them to say." Does this signal the beginning of military assaults on other civilian targets that coalition command finds objectionable?

[Update: Iraqi TV has resumed broadcasts. However, the coalition command has labeled the network headquarters a "heavily defended military target"; repeated strikes on what is arguably a civilian target will likely continue.]