What a difference a year makes

In 2005, last year's anti war message is this year's reason for applause. Go figure:

The Sinclair Broadcast Group, which last year refused to air on its ABC affiliates a "Nightline" program listing Americans killed in Iraq, is applauding ABC's decision to show a similar program this Memorial Day.

Ted Koppel on Monday will pay tribute to the more than 900 U.S. servicemembers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past year in a special 11:35 p.m. broadcast. Photographs will accompany each of the dead as their names are read.

Last year, Koppel read the names of 721 Iraq war dead April 30. Since 2004 was an election year, Sinclair, a Republican supporter, accused "Nightline" of sending an anti-war message -- an assertion ABC denied.

In a statement released today, the Hunt Valley-based company, whose holdings include 62 TV stations, said it "applauds" the decision to read the names on "a day set aside to honor our fallen heroes."