<p>According to Ted Koppel, dragging his gravitas like a ball and chain, "The most important thing a journalist can do is remind people of the cost of war."</p>
<p>So Friday evening on ABC he read out the names of the more than 530 American men and women to die in combat in Iraq. " 'Nightline' will not include those who died by accident and other causes because of time constraints," reported the New York Times, deadpan, acknowledging even the cost of war must defer to the cost of air time. "Mr. Koppel," it continued, "will barely have 2 seconds for each name."</p>