A Slightly Different View

Bill Johnson, a writer for the Rocky Mountain News has been covering events in Iraq in far more interesting detail than you'll find in most news outlets.

Sassaman, who commands the 1-8 Infantry which conducted the raid, says an informant with close ties to Hattam simply walked up to the Army compound here and told the soldier on duty where Hattam could be found.

The man appeared only three hours after word of Saddam's capture was broadcast.

"This guy walks in from out of nowhere," Sassaman tells us. "Now Hattam is the No. 1 guy on our own target list, and has been pretty much since we got here. This man is the godfather of this area. He has the money and the weapons.

"We almost didn't believe this guy."

The rest is just as interesting--more of a grunt's eye view of our efforts. Well worth reading. The rest of the articles are just as intriguing, in fact, and it would be well worth the time spent to read them.

I have to admit to some jealousy (A recurring theme? Perhaps jealousy is my biggest flaw). What Johnson is doing--spending time with the soldiers in Iraq, writing articles for publication, and seeing personally what transpires--is my dream job. Not simply a journalist or a reporter, but a combat journalist.

Jealousy aside, here's to Johnson for having given us a wonderful view of the life of the soldiers. And here's hoping he completes his stint there safe and sound.

Read the story.
Browse his article archive.

Posted by zombyboy at December 17, 2003 03:06 PM | TrackBack