"Inside Iraq"

You've probably noticed that McClatchey Newspapers, the artists formerly known as Knight-Ridder, have been doing national security reporting that, despite some very fine efforts by contenders at the prestige papers, tends to make the competition look embarassingly bad by comparison for years now. Well, via Jim Henley here comes an eye-opening blog they've set up by the Iraqi journalists working for the McClatchey Baghdad bureau:

I was called from home to be told that a nephew of mine was killed in the explosion in the city center. The explosion went off in a central, much frequented market, so there was no doubt it was targeting civilians. Then they called me to say it may not be him after all because there was no way to identify what was left ... only his cell phone in the pants' pocket.

Now I'm waiting, fearfuly, for confirmation either way.

The problem doesn't end there.

If it isn't him, it's someone's son anyway. But if it is him ... whom are we willing to risk going to the Morgue to receive the remains?? If and when we receive him ... where do we burry him?? Almost none who take the path to Abu Ghraib Cemetary return unscathed.

Think about that.

Comments

Got a broken link there, Matt.

Posted by Chris | February 16, 2007 9:55 AM

Over at American Footprints, the least dispensable blog, Eric Martin adds some more. BTW, he is always worht reading as is that site in general.

Posted by theCoach | February 16, 2007 10:15 AM

i feel bad for this guy. not because of his likely loss, but because he seems like he hasn't heard of the schools american's are painting there.

the colors, the tones, the TEXTURES!!!!

Posted by lyle | February 16, 2007 10:24 AM

Matt: you should check out the next installment. It gets worse. I excerpted a bit of it under the title 'On That Side Halves', which is a snippet from the post, and yes, it does mean what you hope it doesn't mean.

Posted by hilzoy | February 16, 2007 10:35 AM

Ignore hilzoy!

Her blatant eloquence, and general tendency to write better than me is nothing if not an act of open aggression.

Besides, this post has been updated at American Footprints as well!

(actually, the Henley link is to the updated vignette from the Iraqi blogger. So:

American Footprints 1 - Obsidian Wings 0

And to theCoach, the check is in the mail ;)

Posted by Eric Martin | February 16, 2007 12:58 PM

A small but real advantage. In Eastern Kentucky, we receive the Lexington Herald-Leader, which is a McClatchey paper. As a result, we have two advantages over those blue-staters who get their news from the New York Times. As a result of having access to McClatchey reporting, we're better informed about debates surrounding intelligence, national defense, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even more importantly, we're less misinformed than people who read the Times.

Posted by Ric Caric | February 16, 2007 1:59 PM

It gets worse, Matt. Read the latest post. At least most of the comments were graceful.

Posted by dell | February 17, 2007 1:29 AM