World Affairs Board - View Single Post - Embedded cub reporter on the Iraq War beat: what story are you after?

Bigfella · 11-02-2007, 09:18 AM

Part of the question here is 'who am I writing/reporting for?'

If it is for your standard news outlet then I probably want to see some shots fired (though hopefully not too close to me). My best bet would probably be one of the units outside Baghdad actually seeking out the enemy.

If I am able to write a longer piece, however, I'd want to spend a few weeks patrolling in some of the former 'no go' areas in Baghdad. I'd like the chance to describe & explain the distinctly unsexy facts about how you conduct counter-insurgency: connect with the locals, get them to trust that you can keep them secure, help where you can (though I wouldn't envisage being with a unit dedicated to this), never give the enemy easy access to the population, always let him know that you are around & that if he's around, he'd better keep his head down.

I'd like to go out on some joint US/Iraqi patrols, either with Iraqi army or militia. I'd want people to understand that winning the war is not just about bombs & bullets. It isn't 'exciting'. It is mostly boring & repetitive grunt work aimed at creating a relationship of sorts with ordinary people.

I would also want to see how US soldiers have been trained to interact with locals & what the impact is. One of the biggest problems in any occupation (and this is an occupation, if not a hostile one) is cross-cultural misunderstandings. These are problematic enough at the best of times, but when one or both sides are armed the potential for disater increases dramatically. So too does the potential to cause offence. In a situation of great power imbalance where the ones with the power are trying to win over the ones without, they have to be doubly careful to avoid misunderstandings. I think this is one of the least understood but most important aspects of the war. What the US military is doing to deal with it on a day to day basis would be worth communicating to people.

I would probably avoid reconstruction work. This isn't because it is not interesting or vital, but because it always looks a bit staged (whether it is or not). There is always a danger in reporting the 'look how nice we are' stuff that it looks too much like the sort of thing government or military PR people cook up. In an age of perpetual election campaigns & omnipresent spin doctors anything that even looks like spin is in danger of being dismissed.

The other thing I would want to do is talk to ordinary Iraqis & try to get a sense of what they do & don't want from America. I would like to get their assessment of the situation, of the US, of their government, of the terrorists/resistance (depending on who you ask), on the ethnic divide. This is where the war will ultimately be won or lost.

11-02-2007, 09:18 AM	#9 (permalink)
Bigfella *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 01-12-07 Location: Melbourne Posts: 949 Country:	Part of the question here is 'who am I writing/reporting for?' If it is for your standard news outlet then I probably want to see some shots fired (though hopefully not too close to me). My best bet would probably be one of the units outside Baghdad actually seeking out the enemy. If I am able to write a longer piece, however, I'd want to spend a few weeks patrolling in some of the former 'no go' areas in Baghdad. I'd like the chance to describe & explain the distinctly unsexy facts about how you conduct counter-insurgency: connect with the locals, get them to trust that you can keep them secure, help where you can (though I wouldn't envisage being with a unit dedicated to this), never give the enemy easy access to the population, always let him know that you are around & that if he's around, he'd better keep his head down. I'd like to go out on some joint US/Iraqi patrols, either with Iraqi army or militia. I'd want people to understand that winning the war is not just about bombs & bullets. It isn't 'exciting'. It is mostly boring & repetitive grunt work aimed at creating a relationship of sorts with ordinary people. I would also want to see how US soldiers have been trained to interact with locals & what the impact is. One of the biggest problems in any occupation (and this is an occupation, if not a hostile one) is cross-cultural misunderstandings. These are problematic enough at the best of times, but when one or both sides are armed the potential for disater increases dramatically. So too does the potential to cause offence. In a situation of great power imbalance where the ones with the power are trying to win over the ones without, they have to be doubly careful to avoid misunderstandings. I think this is one of the least understood but most important aspects of the war. What the US military is doing to deal with it on a day to day basis would be worth communicating to people. I would probably avoid reconstruction work. This isn't because it is not interesting or vital, but because it always looks a bit staged (whether it is or not). There is always a danger in reporting the 'look how nice we are' stuff that it looks too much like the sort of thing government or military PR people cook up. In an age of perpetual election campaigns & omnipresent spin doctors anything that even looks like spin is in danger of being dismissed. The other thing I would want to do is talk to ordinary Iraqis & try to get a sense of what they do & don't want from America. I would like to get their assessment of the situation, of the US, of their government, of the terrorists/resistance (depending on who you ask), on the ethnic divide. This is where the war will ultimately be won or lost.