BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhuanet)-- Many U.S. soldiers - some recently returned from Iraq, others still there - have set up their own Web logs or "blogs" and chat rooms to communicate with their families and friends. This has raised discussions about morale and discipline.

    With the easy access to high-speed Internet connections and phone service in Iraq, American soldiers and military families can communicate freely and in real time via e-mail and cellphone, and follow closely the situation in Iraq, The Christian Science Monitor reported on Tuesday.

    "The Internet and digital communications devices have democratized the global flow of information for friend and foe alike," the report quoted military analyst Loren Thompson as saying.

    "Information democratization" has had both positive and negative impacts on the "good order and discipline" that the U.S. military demands in its regulations and traditions. Morten Ender, a sociologist at the US Military Academy at West Point calls it a "double-edged sword."

    It facilitates communication between soldiers and society and yet "creates new leadership challenges, an explosion of information fostering multiple truths, information overload, and the potential for operational security issues," The Christian Science Monitor quoted Dr. Ender, a researcher on military personnel communication, as saying.

    Earlier this year, coalition spokesman Lt. Col. Steven Boylan said "sometimes a blog might contain subtle nuances from which you can put together a complete picture of our operations, which insurgents can use to attack us."

    Another concern is that a soldier may become distracted by or worried about something back home and make a mistake that could put his own life or the lives of his companions at risk.

    That concern can work in the other direction as well, especially with many websites on the Internet that can tell a dire story in Iraq. Enditem