Under Fire Untold Stories from the Front Line of Iraq War

"This is a tough-minded look inside the war as it really was and is superb war reporting by one of the world's premier news organizations." Dan Rather, CBS Evening News From the front line of the Iraq war, Under Fire showcases the gripping personal stories of Reuters correspondents who capture the mood of the soldiers that fought in the conflict and the ordinary people caught up in it. It offers unique insights into how the war was fought, how journalists operated and how they felt about what they went through and witnessed. The Reuters team describes what it was like to be under fire in Iraq, to be "embedded" with U.S. troops and to witness at first hand the drama of the fastest armored push in history. They tell of fierce desert battles, civilian suffering, ordinary Iraqis' reactions to the invasion force and the symbolic toppling of Saddam's statue in Baghdad. There are also compelling and intense accounts of operating under U.S. bombardment in Baghdad. These include the death of Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk, the wounding of Reuters staff and the story of the badly injured Iraqi boy who became an international symbol of civilian suffering. Through vivid writing, dramatic pictures and informative maps and graphics, Under Fire offers new insights into how the Iraq campaign unfolded and recounts riveting and moving moments ranging from Baghdad to the desert battlefield. Highlighting the human side of war, the book charts the seesaw of Marines' emotions--from raw fear to heady elation--as they stormed to Baghdad. Detailed accounts tell what it was like to hear the crackle of threatening gunfire, to struggle into a chemical protection suit or to choke in a sandstorm. The narrative offers a rare glimpse into how ordinary Iraqis reacted to life after Saddam and the mixed emotions they felt about U.S. and British forces--were they liberators or occupiers? Seen through the eyes of the Arab world, a different war emerged. Under Fire examines how countries in the Middle East reacted to and perceived the U.S. military victory. The Pentagon's strategy also included the PR war. Under Fire poses ethical questions about the concept of embedding journalists with the military and examines the challenge of extracting truth from the fog of war. Intense personal accounts What Reuters journalists witnessed and went through The fury of the U.S. military's Baghdad bombardment Devastation alongside suffering With U.S. Marines: sandstorm and engagement Up close to danger, overwhelming firepower and the fog of war Being there: raw fear, boredom and elation The emotional roller-coaster of soldiering, desert pause to thunder-run What Iraqis really thought: how the Arab world reacted Invasion, liberation and the aftermath A chaotic aftermath: looting, lawlessness in Baghdad Starving tigers, anarchy and anger Reuters operates the world's largest news agency network and is one of the leading providers of news text, video, graphics, and pictures. With some 2,500 journalists, photographers, and TV professionals based in some 197 bureaus around the globe, Reuters covers the news as it breaks. Relying on a 150-year-old reputation for accuracy, speed, and freedom from bias, Reuters transmits more than two million words daily in 26 languages. "Through powerful personal accounts, Under Fire gives an inside look at how this war was a watershed for journalism in more ways than one as spin doctors and propagandists, on all sides, raised their art to new levels. It is filled with lessons for coverage of future conflicts. This is a tough-minded look inside the war as it really was and is superb war reporting by one of the world's premier news organizations." Dan Rather, CBS Evening News "Reuters has prodJukes, Stephen is the author of 'Under Fire Untold Stories from the Front Line of Iraq War', published 2004 under ISBN 9780131423978 and ISBN 0131423975.