A new independent embed team will be covering Iraq. They are a father-son team:

www.NoIgnoring.com

http://noignoring.com/blog.php#89

OUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE…

War is as old as time.

Its consequences are generational. Its effects can ripple for centuries. Right now, the United States is fighting three wars at the same time, in Afghanistan, Iraq, and across the globe in their "war on terror."

I'm Mike Boettcher. For 28 years I've reported the Nation’s wars as a network correspondent for CNN and NBC. I've done my best to look through the smoke of war to illuminate the causes, and cover the experience of the men and women, sent to fight and win.

The universal theme of each conflict has always been the same – it’s hell on earth.

War changes a person – forever. Like any battle, it cuts both ways; sometimes for the better, often for the worse. During my time in combat I've been beaten, shot at, kidnapped, censored, survived suicide bombings, buried friends and witnessed unspeakable atrocities.

My family and friends ask me "Why do I keep going back?" My answer is always the same, "Because someone has to!"

The United States is in its 5th year of war in Iraq, and 6th in Afghanistan. The stakes have never been higher for our service men and women, and our standing in the world.

So, I'm going back.

But, this time it’s different… I am unplugged.

My reports will be for one consumer, the global community on the World Wide Web.

My reporting will not be delivered through a large multi-national corporation, or compete with the pop culture scandal of the moment.

For the first time in my career I will be beholden to no one – except you.

There are two hundred thousand troops in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting a war. The President, Congress, pundits, candidates and news anchors keep telling us we are a nation at war.

No, we're not!

The nation is not at war. The Army is at war. Marines are at war. Sailors and airmen are at war. While they fight and die thousands of miles away, we sit comfortably at home and sacrifice – nothing.

And, remarkably, in a nation of 300 million people, the most powerful on earth, with the richest and most influential media on the planet, not one news organization has assigned a reporter this beat – to cover, full time, the sacrifice we've asked hundreds of thousands of young Americans to give – in the name of our security.

Yes, every network has a bureau in Baghdad. I know. That was my assignment for the past few years. It's a dangerous job and several of my friends and colleagues have died or suffered terrible wounds trying to do it. A compliment of six to eight bodyguards and three to four armored cars are needed for a television news crew to do one interview on the streets of Baghdad. And because many of the media casualties have occurred during missions with American troops, network bosses have curtailed embeds. Taking any risk is discouraged.

Well, hell, risk is what this job is all about. As a journalist, I was trained that you do not run from danger, you run towards it so we can inform the public what the danger is, and give it context. That is a journalist's job.

To that end my son and I will embed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for 12 months – the same tour of duty asked of our soldiers. Good friends have told me this is crazy and just too dangerous.

Dangerous?

Yes, dangerous for an individual, but what about the danger to our democracy if we only occasionally, and then, superficially "check in" on Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in those two nations is on every voters mind, but where do you go to find ground truth?

I will embark on my new journey with my 22-year-old son Carlos. He was born into conflict – June 16th, 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 10th anniversary of the Soweto riots. He was on my shoulders when the Berlin Wall fell and, now, he has asked to be at my side in Iraq and Afghanistan. Carlos will be reporting through the eyes of the generation that is fighting these wars.

Our promise – to embed with the soldiers – and report back with video, images and word – ground truth to the best of our ability. We will tell the stories of our men and women at war and their words will guide us to what is real.

In truth, reality is often harsh and convenient to ignore. They say there is no story worth dying for. I've always disagreed with that journalistic axiom. Only the future of our sons and daughters is at stake here. And although we don't plan on getting killed – who does? – yes, this is a story worth dying for. That is the hard reality.