Iraq_Connection: It's like I'm not in Iraq
Yesterday I told you that Erbil felt much safer than Baghdad. I can't get over the things I did today because you simply can't attempt them in Baghdad.
I started my day by spending a couple hours in an open-air bazaar beneath an ancient citadel in Erbil's center. People were open and talkative, eager to share their views on tomorrow's election.
I never spent that much time in one place in Baghdad without two cars unless I was in a protected area, such as a government office. It's just not safe enough.
Here's another thing you can't do in Baghdad: Drive and get somewhere after a reasonable amount of time. The capital's roads are clogged from checkpoints and traffic jams. Those backups don't happen in Erbil.
The vibe on Election Day eve? People say they want "change." I don't know if they're really willing to break from the Kurdish Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, but the change mantra sure has legs in Erbil today.
How else can I illustrate to you how different this is from Baghdad?
I was in Baghdad at a very safe time. I ate dinner at restaurants outside of my hotel compound several times. I went out on the street regularly to interview Iraqis. I shopped at street-level stores. I visited churches and pastry shops. I spent a lot of time in Iraqi government offices. I wasn't holed up in a hotel by any means.
I never had as much freedom to move in Baghdad as I have in Erbil. For example, I wanted to interview farmers south of Baghdad one day over the winter and had to arrange a military embed to make the trip. Believe it or not, the once-named "Triangle of Death" wasn't a safe place for reporters to go driving around without an escort.
It wouldn't be a problem here. I'm not about to tempt fate. I'm just enjoying the freedom to move and report.
- AA
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Iraq_Connection
What does the opposition party/parties have to offer as an alternative?
You are in our prayers adam....
Come back safely.
Iraq
I made the comment weeks ago that Adam was embedded with the troops and the editor came back with the snide comment he wasn't. Since Adam himself admitted it, that would make myself or the editor a liar. Guess which one? Thank you very much BUT I'll get my Iraqi news from Al-Jazeera.
Iraq_Connection has just arrived over there a few days ago
so I'm not quite sure what you are referring to.
Truthseekers
Adam was working for the Sun-Star at the time, your sister publication BUT both owned by McClatchy. He changes bosses like I change shirts. In any case, I mentioned embedded, which I call in bed with, and the Sun-Star got all huffy and bent out of shape and said Adam wasn't embedded which I knew to be untrue. So I told the Sun-Star, even if Adam wasn't embedded, he knew the American military or it's Iraqi host could pull Adam's press credentials for any OR no reason and send him packing on the next flight out of Baghdad. The Sun-Star never did reply to that one BECAUSE they knew I was right So, I'll stick to Al-Jareera and sometimes the BBC for Middle East news.
Adam works for The Modesto Bee
And has for the past three years. This is his second trip to Iraq in the last year to work for McClatchy Newspapers' Iraq bureau. He is NOT embedded with U.S. soldiers. In his previous assignment in Iraq, he did accompany members of the U.S. military in and around Baghdad for daily assignments, but he was not embedded with them full time. I hope that clears up any confusion, Chateauroux.
Dave Lyghtle
Managing Editor/Print
The Modesto Bee
Chat
I hate to shatter your view of the world press, but I work under the same conditions as Al Jazeera and the BBC. I'm happy that you get world news from those sources. They're excellent. Al Jazeera especially gives you a different view of the Arab world. I'm trying to do some journalism that resonates for McClatchy's audience, which obviously is different from Al Jazeera and the BBC.
None of us live with American soldiers. Your assumptions are based on the initial invasion into Iraq, when there was really no other way to cover the war. Embedded reporting has led to some awesome journalism, such as Evan Wright's Generation Kill. Some American reporters were living in Baghdad among Iraqis even during the invasion. I recommend Anthony Shadid's Night Draws Near if you want to get a sense of what that was like.
All of us have credentials to visit Americans when we need to, and we have credentials to visit Iraqis. Different systems, different badges. I have not spoken to an American since I arrived in Iraq Thursday. I'm looking forward to spending some time with American soldiers soon, though.
In my experience, the Americans are not going to pull your credentials unless you do something ridiculous, like when Geraldo Rivera gave away military locations on air during the invasion. Iraqis, however, often worry that their own country will pull their credentials. Iraqis have a mostly partisan press, which can lead to trouble for reporters when they take on influential people.