Another Kind of Media Hero

One of the most miserably under-covered stories of this whole filthy war in Iraq is the killing by US soldiers of Nicola Calipari, the Italian secret service agent who was escorting journalist Giuliana Sgrena to the airport after she was released from captivity after being kidnapped by Iraqis. 

From commondreams.org via a great commentary over on Body and Soul:

With Terri Schiavo and Michael Jackson to cover, it is pretty difficult for most media outlets to find the time to report on any of the more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed since the beginning of the invasion 2 years ago. That's why cases like Sgrena's become so important, because they represent a chance to show the world that part of the reality Iraqis face every day of their lives: They are kidnapped in alarming numbers; they are shot by trigger-happy US soldiers; their deaths are justified--if they are even acknowledged--by US officials floating flimsy cover stories that would never stand up in any US court (except perhaps a military court).

Are journalists in Iraq safe? Of course not. No one would expect them to be safe. But David Schlesinger said in the Herald Tribune:

My own company, Reuters, has lost three colleagues in military incidents in Iraq, and each time it has been in an unfortunate encounter with U.S. troops. Do I believe my colleagues were targeted because they were journalists? No. Do I believe that the military and we have done enough to ensure that these horrible accidents won't be repeated? Alas, the answer to that question is obviously no as well.

I won't pretend to understand exactly what got Giuliana Sgrena shot and cost Nicola Calipari his life, nor do I have the slightest shred of faith that the report, due out in April, from the US military will shed much light on it (especially since it's starting out with them refusing to allow the Italians to examine the shot-up car they were in when it happened).

And I won't deny I've been tough on journalists in this blog. Especially given that I basically abandoned my profession to become a full time dog writer,  some might find my pontificating on the downfall of journalism to be a bit mean-spirited. I couldn't stand the heat so I got out of the kitchen; I admit it.

But while some journalists undoubtedly go to war because they are adrenaline junkies or fame freaks or military groupies, most go to war because they know that governments and their armies have a vested interest in hiding the facts they can hide, and spinning those they can't. They go to make sure that secrecy and spin - or call it what it really is, propaganda - don't win the game, and that truth and reality get a fair turn on the public stage. (And lest I be accused of lacking the proper patriotic spirit, something like this was exactly what our nation's founders had in mind when they guaranteed freedom of the press in the First Amendment.)

It's a fact that sometimes heroes get killed. We just have to keep clear in our minds that journalists are good guys, not the enemy, and hope all those deaths are accidents of war, and not the ultimate form of censorship.

Comments

[Jesurgislac]

One of the most miserably under-covered stories of this whole filthy war in Iraq...

Well, no. Nicola Calipari is getting yards of coverage compared to the shooting of Ismail Swayed al-Obeid at a US checkpoint in Iraq on March 16th.

According to report, this Iraqi was the deputy commander of the Iraqi army in western Al-Anbar province - his being killed by US soldiers is no small matter.

Yet it seems to have been made invisible by the Pentagon, with the full cooperation of the media.

[Christie]

Yet it seems to have been made invisible by the Pentagon, with the full cooperation of the media.

The Pentagon and the media working hand in hand to make a story disappear? I'm shocked, shocked!

Pardon me while I, you know... scream.