Color of War
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Desolate Battles
Western Nineveh Province, Iraq
Desert Battles are unfolding in hidden and faraway places. Bullets snapp through air, then splap through flesh and men fall. Bodies crumple onto the desert, a fly lands on the lip of an open mouth, fingers twitch as the flesh dies and the winds kick up and dust settles on unblinking eyes. The dry earth drinks their sticky blood and they are forgotten. Their families do not know they are dead. They came to kill Americans and innocent Iraqis. Instead, they were killed themselves. In a desert landscape, sometimes the color of a war can bleed out into black and white.
Interestingly, the people who accuse Yezidis of being devil-worshippers are responsible for the deaths of perhaps a million people in the last few decades. They are the ones who put Yezidis on “reservations,” poured chemical gases on Kurds, set oil wells ablaze, poisoned the water with oil, and encouraged suicide attacks. What do Yezidis want from us? Not much. They want to thank Americans for beating back Saddam. They want Americans to know they appreciate the sacrifice. They don’t ask for much, but since the Iraqi government remains mostly inert, if you’re offering, they’d like to have a school in their community—a real school, not a place of religious indoctrination. They want their kids, including their girls, to get university degrees.
Comments
As I said at the recent meeting the $64 question is whether the S-R will abide by its Code of Ethics once affirmed. The onus is upon the S-R to demonstrate to its readers that it will follow the code and that this is not just some PR exercise. The readers are not dumb as you think. The readers will ultimately decide the credibility of the S-R as a trusted/reliabl e source of news, commentary, and thought of the day.
The traditional media no longer holds the preeminent position of the du jour source of the news. See the article below. We are experiencing a major communication reformation as great or greater than that of Martin Lutherƒ??s time (Hugh Hewittƒ??s Blog and Glenn Reynoldsƒ?? An Army of Davids). The new media does not require large capital investments e.g, printing presses and transmission networks of the traditional or mainstream media. The new medium of expression is essentially free for all to participate. The currency of the new media is the validity, reliability, and predictability of the information provided in oneƒ??s own daily life. The sources that best meet those needs will attract readers and grow Those sources which lack credibility and/or donƒ??t correct misinformation quickly will die.
Ron the Cop
Friends of Mark Fuhman
Yon is the Drudge of Iraq war journalism. Apart from, and an incredibly important counterpoint to, the mainstream coverage.
This is coming from someone who loves your work and depends on you for information.
Keep the information and reflections coming, and stay safe.
Keep up the good work.
I wish I could recall which Talk Radio interviewer (Hugh Hewitt?) spoke with you at length. That conversation led me to your website and, thus, I became a subscriber to you and your releases. I quit our Left Angeles Times and, instead, spend time with your e-mail reporting. And just today I note that I am able to support you and your mission through Paypal. Yes!
Black and white film: I agree that the shots are more realistic without color, but can't have one without the other, can one? Your composition of individuals is outstanding. Few have such a good eye. Being a camera buff--an amateur--I enjoy your chat about the camera and the many experiences your "friend" has suffered as you travel. (Several cameras?)
Your clear descriptions of the various subcultures are tremendously educational. More deeply than ever, I experience a great "Aha" mentality for the troops' perseverance in and with the environment and the individuals of the desert. I am in awe of the dedication of each and every soldier and of you for your years of dedicated reporting. Your description of the grave dangers that those who sacrifice for us brings me to my knees.
My prayers and my thoughts are with you and "ours" daily.
Nurse Marilyn
walk wih GOD
Joe
Thanks so much. Keep up the good work !!!!
Shamefully, I had not known about the Yezedis until today--
Keep up the great work-- a fan of yours now!!!!!
God Bless
please keep up with your work.. only you can get the shots the world needs to see.
ive mention your work to ATS and my son in cav country,
looks like he could be coming back your way.
thanks to your site i can kinda keep track of where every one is. so to speak.,
will be going out to get your book.
peace be with you michael.
as allways
may the moon&stars guide you
cw.
MOMENT OF TRUTH just got here! Since I'm in stationed in Canada my mail actually takes longer than when I was in Baghdad...go figure.
Dude, thanks for the real story! Without your views...life would be far cheaper and less telling.
Brad
Then we have Senator McCain, who says he will "smash Hezbollah" in Lebanon. As well as overthrow the mullahs in Iran. OK, so now we are the policemen of now one, not two, but three and perhaps more countries. And the best thing is we can run it all without raising taxes because we will simply use the nation's credit card, and make our children and grandchildren deal with the fallout. Wonderful.
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