4,000 U.S. Combat Deaths, and Just a Handful of Images

This New York Times slide show and article by Michal Kamber and Tim Arango discusses the issue of censorship in Iraq. 

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/07/25/world/middleeast/20080726_CENSOR2_index.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/26/world/middleeast/26censor.html?ex=1374724800&en=d72cc33138760afc&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Comments

[Sally]

Living in London I was not aware of your work and it was through this article i found out about what you do and it's inspiring. I fully support your work, without photo's we cannot see and have no eyes. So please fight to continue what you do, I think is so important for us to see not just days after events happen but also for the future and to have an archives of how conflicts effects the solider and the civilian alike.

[Labrys]

Well, I guess we shouldn't be too surprised at efforts to censor photographs. They won't even let flag-draped caskets be pictured, since they deem such a violation of "privacy." What, I must ask, could be more anonymous than a flag draped casket? Hide the cost in bloody bodies, that is the obvious message here.

[Anthony]

I was in the Marines and I saw embeds when I was in the Gulf. I never really liked them much. They dress up like paramilitary, much like your pic in the top right corner of your site, seem to have a touch of arrogance and privilege, and basically walked around camps and in the field like prima donnas. I think that you have talent, sir. Is it an "amazing art," like you have posted on your I-love-Zoriah quote board to the right? No. It is not an art. An artist creates something from seemingly nothing. You capture moments with your camera... do not confuse the two. Should you have posted pictures of dead Marines on your site? No. You attempt to glamorize your tenure in Iraq as an embed by adding flowery and overly descriptive narrative to your photos. Yeah, OK, you were in dangerous spots. Yeah, OK, you were in fear for your life. I get it. It is tough to be a photographer who asked to be embedded. The people who really have it tough are the service people and not people like you. You will cherry pick what you want to put on this site to condone your conduct in Iraq, your views on the war, and your despicable descision to put pictures of eviscerated Marines on the internet--but that doesn't mean we have to agree with you. In the very quiet and solitary moments of your life, I hope that you think about what you have done and realize just how stupid and hurtful your actions are. I don't know if that is possible for you, because it requires compunction and morals. I really don't think that you have the ability to feel contrition. You will have your 15 minutes of fame and will be a media darling for the anti-war, liberal media, and free press sets, but in the end, you lack of scruples will overshadow all of your work and future endeavors... You will forever be remembered as that jerk who posted pictures of dead Marines on his site. You are a sad little man for what you have done.

[Wyatt]

Liberal, that's a funny word. The word compelled me to do some research into this seven letter enigma; I believe the word "liberal" to be an American virtue. Liberal, as stated in the dictionary has several meanings: "free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant; characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts; open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values; favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression."
I too am a vet and served the US proudly in several deployments overseas for one reason, or another. I think it is imperative Americans and journalists alike seek out the truth, no matter of belief, creed, ethnicity, political, or religious affiliation. Censorship of any kind is detrimental to a free and open society, a republic such as ours. I should hope that Marines understand individuals and institutions are not greater than fundamental rights given to all Americans provided by our forefathers. Reporting is a first amendment right. Americans have enjoyed this right for several hundred years and it is more important than ever, especially when journalists are doing their due diligence in reporting (photographing) social, economical or military actions that involve the breakdown of society. The fact that a Marine questions a photographer and his or her political affiliation is a bit concerning. Being associated with the word "liberal" and media is not a bad thing, or do you not believe Americans should be: "Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded." This is exactly what Zoriah does. He reports on the progress or lack thereof in Iraq, for better or worse.
If journalists had done their research and acted accordingly when questioning our country's initial motive and true nature for going to war, the US may not have been so quick to launch a military strike on a sovereign country for fictitious reasons - I am still waiting for the WMDs cache to be found your Republican president and mine Iraq thought to have had. Personally, I'm glad we have a liberal media that questions and seeks out the truth. If a Marine is looking for censorship, then maybe we should ask Chinese denizens how much they enjoy the few rights they have, assuming they have any at all. It is not easy accepting the truth, but it must be done if you and all military personnel alike are willing to uphold the rights as stated in this little piece of paper, it writes: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Maybe Marines have heard of this, it is aptly named The United States Constitution. You should read it some time, it's a liberal piece of work but I'm sure you can appreciate this poignant piece of literature.
Whether you like it or not, images must be shown and reported in such a way that involves and educates the American people on the reality of war for all sides. Without our "liberal" media, what would you have?

[Cynthia, TX]

Thank you Wyatt. Well said. I too was a bit disturbed by the post above and it made me think some of the vary things you wrote about. I think Zoriah is doing the world a service by using the creative talents given to him. He chose this method to give back to us so we could see the good, the bad and hopefully the forgiving through his eyes. I now see what I was not able to see. I am saddened. I have often asked myself why does it matter what party you are affiliated with to clearly see wrong. I guess I may never know. I do know there is room for forgiveness and hope one day the Bush administration along with all who could have stopped this war will ask for it.

[Randel]

Anthony, I read your comments and it confirms to me that all this military hoo-aaah is effective at clouding the judgment of men in uniform. All uniformed men in Iraq know that the war there is for false and wrong reasons. That being said, the commanders in Iraq are essentially responsible for the behavior of the uniformed services that have created genocidal conditions for the Iraqi people. Iraq is losing population by attrition beyond natural and normal means. Iraqis don't even want to live there anymore with the way things are. I met an Iraqi overseas and he was friendly, but told me hated America. He hated America, you failed to win his heart and mind. You know why. Best thing you can do now is convince people not to join or re-up. I am a veteran, served honorably overseas during desert dust and was enlisted.

[Mark_Heller]

For anyone who thinks that pictures of the dead are censorship - you lack imagination!?

Let us try a little experiment - I'm sure you may have seen something kind of gory along side the road, i.e. a dead or dying dismembered animal hit by a car. Bowels spilled out on the road, limbs twisted in unnatural positions, skull crushed and distorted, blood flowing...

The words alone present an image in your mind - don't they? Freeze that image - and start to rearrange the gory bits and super-impose them onto say your son, daughter, father, wife or significant other. Starting to feel a little different about the image don't you.

Take those same gory bits and start to replace them on your own body - and ask yourself if you would ever want to have your mother see you dismembered like that - and how she would feel... Especially if that person were making money from that picture of you - dead or crudely spray painted on a wall from an explosion. You might want to trust the people around you not to do something like that.

When Mr. Miller was embedded with the Marines - he established a 'trust' with them not to take pictures of the dead for his personal gain (His JOB) and make them available - Mr. Miller obviously violated that 'trust'. Is that censorship?

[Sharon Lee]

Censorship or privilege revoked?
I would wager a guess that Mr. Miller is free to continue to visit any war torn county to shoot photos and post them on his website.
What has been revoked is his ability to do so under the protection of the U.S. military - those service men and women whose privacy and dignity have been violated by his posting of their tragedies. If he has signed releases from his protectors stating that they agree to allow him to post photos if they are killed in action during a mission while he is an embedded reporter, then yes I will concur he is being censored. Otherwise it is a matter of his privilege of protection being withdrawn.

[Leon McKinney]

I agree with the posts above that correctly depict "Zoriah" (hey, just one name, just like those trendy New York fashionistas - how special!) as a selfish, self-rightous, self-centered asshole with delusions of grandeur.

Here he is making money (oh, sorry, merely asking for "contributions" so he can continue his heroic work as an "independent journalist") from publishing pictures of soldiers who have been shot and killed - soldiers who, in addition to their full-time job of killing the sand-monkey jihadis, have to protect arrogant bastards like "Zoriah" and all the other hate-Amerika media weenies. Then when the US military says in effect, "hey asshole, make your money off our dead soliders' bodies without our protection", "Zoriah" whines about censorship.

What a worthless little puke-shit "Zoriah" is. If America hadn't done everything it has done for the past 100 years - saving Europe from itself over and over again, defeating Kaiser Wilhelm, Hitler, and Tojo, and preventing a succession of Soviet and Chinese leaders and their client states from imposing their "progressive" totalitarian regimes on hundreds of million of people - there would be no free countries debating censorship and "Zoriah" would of course be a commissar apparatchik sending suspected Enemies Of The State into death camps.

If my brother or son or father were killed in Iraq and his death and my family were so disrespected by "Zoriah" as he has done here on his Web site to other Americans, I would travel to wherever in the world he was and beat the living hell out of him.

And let me respond in advance to all the hate-America assholes who I am sure will jump all over this post: F*** you!

[Mark Heller]

There seems to be some conflict in Mr. Miller’s memory. On the program ‘On The Media’ he was quoted as being ‘under guard for his protection,’ and general attitudes toward him afterward were that if he wanted to leave he could walk outside the wire (By himself) any time he wanted to cover the war. – Yet on ‘Talk of the Nation’ he says he was supported by those he was embedded with?

Both programs “tried to contact the Marine Corps for a response…” So we only got one side of the story. Funny - Mr. Miller himself may have gotten mail in that unit, and knows the FPO address on the unit, and may even know the names of the people he was with that day – he may even know the satellite phone number of someone in the unit. But I don’t think he wants to get a second perspective on the events on the ground – and knows that one would be hard to come by.

One should ask what happened that day from the prospective someone other than Miller. Having been on the other side of a very similar situation in Somalia. What I can read between the lines to see, is a picture of an opportunist, manipulating the political atmosphere for his personal gain. Does something so despicable, colors it, and hides it under a righteous cause of standing up for the lofty principles of free speech.

As you listen to Miller describe the events that led to him taking those photos – apparently the only opportunity for him to take a picture of a dead American service member – put yourself in the shoes of the Marines he was with for a moment – and forget about the topic of censorship that he is hiding behind. A topic that has made him headline news, and that he will benefit richly from. Photojournalism is a commodity – and it is FOR SALE.

Imagine yourself as a Marine driver on a convoy – being hyper-aware, yet assigned to drive someone around that can not help you if there is trouble – and there is… You’re driving along and then there is news that there was a bombing and that people are wounded and dead – there may even be a second suicide bomber – a tactic recently used. You drive there to help provide triage for the wounded and/or security for the area to accommodate their evacuation to medical help as there is none on the scene. The event only happened moments before and there are wounded still all over, there are body parts scattered everywhere – it is confusing and chaotic. You ask that the reporter stay out of the way in one location so you can help the wounded and search for a possible second suicide bomber, and you and the other Marines with you are doing so – and trying to control chaos.

Then you notice the reporter that you told to wait has bust into the room and is walking around in the blood of the living wounded and dead to get his ‘big break’ and get a picture of the freshly killed Marines scattered around you – you know that he has been salivating for the opportunity. He brags on his blog about having been with the Red Cross Disaster Services – but he’s not there to help with the wounded - he’s there to make a name for himself and you know it, and he’s going to do it with picture of your dead friends. So what do you do? You drag him out of there and put him under guard so that you can gain control of the chaotic situation at hand. Then you get back to base and you tell everyone what happened – and they are disgusted by the self-serving behavior of the reporter. Those people - Marines - charged with fresh emotion feel that they would not mind one bit if a stray bullet hit that reporter in the head – just so happens that those persons have a whole bunch of stray bullets in their rifles….

A Sergeant hears about it – and he knows that the presence of those pictures on a small Marine encampment could escalate into a full-blown “flagging” of the reporter. So he goes to the reporter and asks for him to turn them over or destroy them – the reporter not only refuses – but says he already posted them on the internet….. So he takes that up the chain of command and it becomes a topic for the Generals to decide, and they too ask that they be removed because the incident is only a few days old – fresh and emotional and NOT what you want while trying to fight a war. The reporter refuses, and is now salivating more because he is getting his break with the pictures of your dead friend – but is now got some political capitol to claim censorship. So what do you do with a guy like that who is so disruptive to the moral of your unit? You get rid of him and fast!

FYI (& record) – I do not believe in any just cause for the US to have entered Iraq. Nor do I support the Administrations tactics for continuing it.

I was not there that day… But I have been a Marine, AND been in a situation similar with photographers salivating for pictures of the dead in Somalia. And that is how I see it – it is more about respect and dignity – betrayal of trust and of a cohesive fighting unit in battle, than of censorship. Mr. Miller is despicable to have taken those pictures in the presence of both the living and the wounded in an hour of need, when he could have put down the camera and helped. And to have twisted the situation to his political and professional gain on the bodies of the dead.

[Anek]

First of all, please forgive my bad english, but believe me, I will try to be clear.

Well, let me see, nobody want to see a brother crushed by a bomb, because when one see the real blood and the quiet body is like a sudden lightning crossing our brain and heart, and reality vaporize the echoes of glory of the last movie.

So, welcome to the real world, welcome to the daily events of the Irak people, not only american soldiers.

War is not a hollywood production, neither a very far away fact. War is a monster very close of us, and has no glory, and has no any kind of dignity nor justice. Now we are aware about it.

But sometimes happen strange facts around a tragedy like this. For example...

"...I hope that you think about what you have done and realize just how stupid and hurtful your actions are..."

Who must think about what is done? Which is the point here?
Is a camera more dangerous and hurtful than a weapon?
What is more stupid as a human behavior? What is unmoral? to take a photo of a dead man or to kill him?

Is the color of the blood of the others so different from the color of the blood of our sons? what a hell are doing our sons in there?

Here there is another curious statement:

"...Then when the US military says in effect, "hey asshole, make your money off our dead soldiers' bodies without our protection", "Zoriah" whines about censorship..."

What a big mistake, the military indeed ignore what are they protecting, even they don't know that the establishment is using them as a piece of shit, because the true is that this photographer is a potential interference with another kind of business, a business that means much more money than the photographer salary. Then the censorship is a key part of this chain of stratospheric money protection net.

Otherwise, which kind of moral principles are they preserving? the war moral? The war dignity? The dead ones dignity?

With respect to the last point, in my humble opinion they should protect the dignity of those young men meanwhile they still being alive.
Hey boy!, back home asap!
your dignity and your life are at risk, and you should not still killing people in the name of their rights to freedom.
Stop with this tale for idiots.

But here we have another example of this mysterious way of thinking:
"...What I can read between the lines to see, is a picture of an opportunist,
manipulating the political atmosphere for his personal gain. Does something so despicable, colors it, and hides it under a righteous cause of standing up for the lofty principles of free speech..."

Sorry man, I am confused, aren't the troops occupying Irak for those principles among others? Which is the point then? Such a contradiction, the army is massacring a country in the name of sacred democratic principles.
And our proverbial generosity is not compensated because this miserable people don't say a single "thank you" before die under our missiles.

...or should I say in the name of gigantic economic interests of a formidable military complex-oil industry lobby, the same lobby that is using the US army as a private gang in order to "convince" the Irak people about the benefits of the neocon way of life?

At last, as far as I can see for someones the problem here is not the "right-no right" of the publication of those images of the horror, nor the protection of dignity of the death in combat (such a paradox), nor the fact that a photographer work for money like everyone.

Here the point is that we don´t like the reality exposed by the images, we don't like the message.
Then we want to kill the messenger.

And, just in order to say good bye...
"...And let me respond in advance to all the hate-America assholes who I am sure will jump all over this post: F*** you!"

I love you too, Leon.

[Wyatt]

"If my brother or son or father were killed in Iraq and his death and my family were so disrespected by "Zoriah" as he has done here on his Web site to other Americans, I would travel to wherever in the world he was and beat the living hell out of him." - And, what about the political party that sent our troops to a sovereign nation to be killed and kill for one fictitious reason or another? Leon, the pretzel logic that you and the rest of your myopic crew use to legitimize your impractical view on military action in Iraq amazes me. I become more dumb reading posts submitted by you and the rest of your blind followers. Please let me know when we've won the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. I truly enjoyed the "Mission Accomplished" PR photo op 5 years ago, can we have one more?

"And to have twisted the situation to his political and professional gain on the bodies of the dead." - I didn't know that Zoriah was running for office.

I'm still trying to figure out how a picture of a dead soldier manipulates the atrocities of war, people die in combat yes?

[Mark Heller]

"But here we have another example of this mysterious way of thinking:
"...What I can read between the lines to see, is a picture of an opportunist,
manipulating the political atmosphere for his personal gain. Does something so despicable, colors it, and hides it under a righteous cause of standing up for the lofty principles of free speech..."

Sorry man, I am confused, aren't the troops occupying Irak for those principles among others? Which is the point then? Such a contradiction, the army is massacring a country in the name of sacred democratic principles.
And our proverbial generosity is not compensated because this miserable people don't say a single "thank you" before die under our missiles."_____________________

Anek - I think you missed my point - I do not think he should even be there... Let alone be taking pictures of the dead - ANY DEAD until the blood is dry - American, Iraqi, German, or Georgian... That blood was still warm and wet - and the situation in which the pictures were taken may have still smelled of the smoke from the blast - some may still have had a pulse - yet Zoriah when for the camera to pad his wallet - rather than help. He claims to have worked for the Red Cross - but I am sure he only did so to gain access to disaster sites - as that is what he peddles - pictures of death and suffering.

Imagine yourself in a horrific accident with both legs torn off - and say - your baby a few feet away choking and dying, and all you want at that moment is to go help your child at even the expense of your own life - and you are reaching but can not quite reach your child. But there is this man with a camera there - able bodied - taking pictures of you and your child dying. Your child dies in front of your eyes and he takes one last picture before you die... The look of horror on your face - he walks away and sells you and your childs death to the highest bidder. He will watch you die - just for the picture to sell.

What happened IMO is that someone saw this dark side and kicked him to the curb - and he calls it censorship.

[Mark Heller]

Wyatt - the comment in context - "And to have twisted the situation to his political and professional gain on the bodies of the dead." - I didn't know that Zoriah was running for office."

He just might be - who knows???? He too - much like our 'soon to be' elected officials of all parties - have hit the talk shows - did interviews - selling their name.... Had he not been there at the moment of death for someone - a particular someone - and particulary offended others there in the proccess - to the point where they may have even been tempted to kill him for it - on site - then he would not have done the talk shows or interviews where he was peddling his name as the go-to-guy for pictured of death, suffering and destruction.

Wyatt - we may even completely agree on a number of topics... I believe this war, and how we got into it are bogus - I did not vote for our current president or his dad that I served under - and I felt amazing pride when I watched a Marine officer tell Cheney himself on the phone that Somalia was a "Bull shit political move". Personally - I think the topic is beyond your own personal politics and put the shovel down - pick up the spade and call it one.

[Mark Heller]

Wyatt - did you even read any of this tripe - or see the pictures???????

http://www.zoriah.net/blog/suicide-bombing-in-anbar-.html

"There are dying people strewn around like limp dolls along with lifeless bodies of all ages. People are screaming and crying running as if they have something important they have to do, only they can’t figure out what that important thing could possibly be. The air smells of burnt flesh and sweat is pouring off of my body. My lungs are still on fire from the run and I have to concentrate to see through the sweat coating my ballistic goggles and dust on my camera’s viewfinder."

On a radio interview he said he "snuck in" after being told to stay put while they helped the wounded.... The most important thing to this guy is to take pictures to sell...

"I continue shooting pictures as fast as I can. I know the soldiers do not want me in the building photographing their dead friends. I also know that, in case of a secondary blast, my time to document the scene will be extremely limited. It seems like the building is packed with bodies and people are literally frantic removing the dead, as if their pace may bring some of them back."

He doesn't even think to edit the darkness out of his own thoughts....

"I aim my camera one more time to snap a shot of some of the dead American Marines, before being told by one of the soldiers that they are under orders to remove me from the scene."

You look at the picture - and you put yourself in his place!

http://www.zoriah.net/photos/uncategorized/2008/06/27/zoriah_iraq_war_fallujah_suicide_13.jpg

[Laurie]

Mark Heller, if that is your real name. Zoriah is not a paramedic. He is a photojournalist. You speak as if you were in Iraq - or that you know him, which is not the truth. Your claims that Zoriah may plan to run for office, salivates at the chance to shoot the dead, etc. are delusional misunderstandings about the job of a war photojournalist. Your fantasies of disaster scenes that you ask others to imagine, tell of nightmares that haunt you from the time you carried a gun for the military in Somalia. You project your life upon a man you've never met.

[Wyatt]

Zoriah is a combat photo journalist, what did the Marines think he was going to do in the field, create Mickey Mouse cartoons? I'm not sure why people are so upset with a photo journalist documenting the horrific tragedies of war. I'm sure there isn't one war buff that has watched past military movies, or viewed photos taken during the Civil War, WWI, & WWII proceeded to think, "jeez, this is despicable, how could they take images of dead Doughboys." Hell, the HIstory Channel wouldn't exist if people didn't document wars with the video camera or still photography. It's like hiring an assassin and saying after the fact, "oh, you kill people?" Without documenting the past, no matter how painful can be a real tragedy. People need to understand the consequences for going to war, it isn't pretty. Without photo journalists like Zoriah, beloved American images such as the American flag being raised in Iwo Jima on top of Mount Suribachi, wouldn't exist.

I know how the military works and I'm sure the Marines used slight of hand in what they said was and was not acceptable. The military is known for changing expectations, agreements and missions mid-sentence. I would like to see this Marine contract, because right now it's all hear say. I appreciate someone risking their life to explain what's really going on in Iraq, we sure as hell can't trust this administration to release the facts.

And I highly doubt Zoriah is running for office, he's too keen on global affairs to be an effective politician in the states. Americans don't normally like their politicians to be worldly.

[Mark Heller]

During the civil through ww-1 action photography was nearly impossible - even then through WW-2 and Korea bodies were shown cold... Vietnam - there were only a few images of fresh kills - even some propoganda images and video of killing in action. Some as staged as the Iwo Jimo Flag Raising (yes a recreation)

http://blogs.smh.com.au/photographers/vietcong.JPG
That image got the photographer Eddie Adams a pulitzer for help to stage one of the most well known images of the veitnam war at the expense of the mans life.

Also done for the benifit of the cameras this type of incident.

http://blackwatervictims.com/pics/Bridge.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0dRrdHc83aeGy/610x.jpg
(A now popular passtime in Somaila - where you can buy post cards of armed children standing on the bodied of thier kills - I kid you not.)

Without the camera they would have just laid mangled in the street.

What is wrong with Millers photos is that he was standing in the way of help for the wounded around him for what he sees as his big shot at a pulitzer - and royalties....

[Laurie]

Mark Heller - Did you pay to see Zoriah's photos? What facts do you have to support your accusations here (and in your comments in the post about Zoriah in On the Media) that he took the images to sell them? What facts do you have to support your accusation that he stood in the way of help? Where were you? What were you doing on that day? The truth is: Zoriah was removed from the scene because SOME Marines decided they did not a war photographer to bear witness.

[Anek]

Mark, perhaps you are right, perhaps I've missed your point. In this case I beg your pardon.

On the other hand, perhaps -and just perhaps- you are missing the point of the war photographs, a matter very different from the civil accidents photographs.

In the last case you're right, there is a disgusting truculent side when a photograph expose the bloody corpse of a child crushed by a car, promoted by the TV nets in order to catch a bigger piece of the rating cake.

But we aren't talking about a traffic accident in a highway with a ripped family in the middle of a street. No sir.

We are talking about a planned, premeditated, horrible way to get more power, territory, and/or strategical resources, as is the final subject of every war.

In order to achieve this objectives we sent the most powerful deadly machine ever seen in the whole history of the planet to invade, occupy and kill the people of an unknown country.

And the people dying is not a sequence of a play station game on the screen of our TV at the hour of the diner, something like an infrared movie, a phantasmagorical green and black, and the mute explosions as a blinding flash, and the tracer bullets -as I said- like a play station game.

After that we still eating and talking about the weather and the last football game results.

Meanwhile, behind the turned off screen thousands of people are dying, but not as a game, blood and pain are real and there are families with ripped boys on the street too. They are the never ending play station game victims, our soldiers included.

Which is my point? The majors nets are accomplices of the weapons industries, the banks and the oil pool, who are ruling the country.

So, for them is a very serious issue, almost indispensable, this war must be shown as a prophylactic game where there are not consequences for us, even without blood, only the necessary, the blood of them in any case.
We have the power and we are doing well. Long life to the freedom and democracy. Sleep well and sweet dreams.

The reality is absolutely different. But, how can we wake up from this nightmare and every nightmares of war? Looking face to face to the facts, to the death.

As I told you, a war is a monster, with an ugly, horrifying face. Then, here we have a way to know it, just a little part only, but enough in order to understand. In my opinion, that is the final true subject of the war photography.

Are you concerned by the real intentions of Zoriah? Is he a mercenary with a camera? Sorry, who knows, or yes, but this is not the point here.

The point is that we must stop this tragedy in some way. An here we have another reason.
Best regards.

[Mark Heller]

Laurie - yes - he sells them for a living on www.zoriah.com and for a pretty penny you too can have an archival print. He also sells them to the media. It is a job - you think he does this for the betterment of the of the people of either nation - think again.

And if you listen to ALL the interviews and take in ALL of the omissions within each - you'll get a clearer picture of the moment - as well as his own recollections here on this site. He was not there an hour after the bombing - he was there just moments after the bombing and the living are treating and performing triage on themselves. Not to mention the fear that he too had (and admits) of a recent and recurring tactic of a second bomber detonating to kill the rescuers who arrive to assist immediately following. As ANY rescue worker will tell you - control over the situation at hand is ABSOLUTELY necessary - some jerk looking for a good angle or light to capture the art of the scene is not one of those people who are NECESSARY! Just go ask any military personnel, cop, fire fighter, EMT, nurse, doctor - or for that matter - respected journalist.... One of those would have waited until it was appropriate - or witnessed from a respectable distance. In this case a room inside a building he was already told to get out, and stay out of because they were still treating the wounded and removing them, as well as attempting to treat the area as a crime scene.

Yet Zoriah having very little respect for this effort or the persons performing this effort, put himself in the way for a few good shots of the dead - of both Iraqi and American alike - but he knew the value of the dead American at that very moment - and he not only knew the social offense of those shots - but the moral offense of the moment he took them in, and in the situation that he did. It is all very clear in his own words, if you would only look just past your own political ideology.

[Mark Heller]

Anek - do you fancy yourself a writer of prose or did you have something to say? It was difficult to tell - I'm sorry I just can't.... And that is not meant to be insulting - I just do not get the movie or video game references or what they have to do with me - or the subject matter other than the same ol' analogies and metaphors that one would use to describe armed conflict to someone who has never experienced one. In case you have not followed any previous posts... I served my time. I drove point in convoys, sat in a ring mount with a 50 and watched kids stab each other in the street fighting over scrap metal - powerless to intervene due to rules of engagement and yes have had bullets fired in my general direction in intent of doing me harm. And yes - I came back to S.Cal and would catch myself scanning roof-tops and watching windows and doorways for years later - some call that PTSD... Anyway - the point is - that I served - did you??? If not - please stop regurgitating the dramatic metaphors (or attempts at them) of what you see as some broader picture that you think I am missing....

One more thing about myself before I really jump back on topic. I joined the Marines to learn more about the world, and how it works - I did... I suggest you do the same. Even if it is against your own personal politics - it was against mine - which may not be too dissimilar from your own. But in doing my little stint - I earned a right to criticize - I suggest you try to find where yours is.

Back on the topic - your (and many others) defense of Zoriah on the grounds of censorship are made from comfy chair, and from a righteous political angle - one I share to an extent. In any other era the politic and lies that got us into this mess would have ended shortly in a coup, or revolution. It shocks me that the public is so blind and apathetic. But I know why it doesn't just explode in rioting... Because the REAL effects will never touch the masses - because it is someone else's kid serving in the volunteer military. I doubt most of the people who have piped in to support or criticize this topic even know someone personally who is in the military now.... Yet feel they can get all grandiose on the topic of war and peace........

When it comes to pictures... I do not think we need the disembowelment's or open skull-caps of the type shown in Zoriahs shot at the big time.... We need every flag draped casket in a line on one giant funeral march during a long holiday week-end of people going to enjoy themselves - stuck in traffic - confronted with the bodies ~4000 dead kids. Hey why not do it every Friday afternoon in every city at rush hour? Or for that matter make it mandatory that your only way out of jury duty is to attend a military families funeral? Or better yet make the same mandatory personal attendance to receive your tax return....

[Mark Heller]

"You project your life upon a man you've never met."

I have met his kind - they day you do - and in a similar situation - you may feel differently.

And yes - that is my real name....

[mark Aleshnick]

The tripe you try and pass of here as fact is nauseating, mark.

Unlike you, I DO know Zoriah, and pretty much from the beginning of his undertakings. Your projection of this being a job for him is just that, a projection.

Zoriah has NEVER viewed the work he does as a job - he has constantly and consistently viewed it as something that desperately needs to be done and something to which he has put his life on the line to do.

I wonder about the courage of the detractors, who do not even know the truth of his work In Iraq as you nip at his heels.

I venture to say that I have never known anyone to live as frugally and simply as Zoriah. Whatever compensation his appeals for funding make, the bulk of it is devoted to costs of continuing the noble work he's engaged in with out of pocket expeditures.

Those here who project their "perhaps" upon this fine young man would do better to spend your speculative time questioning your leaders who make crises and disaster photography so necessary in an effort to shine light on truths they would rather left be unknown.

[Anek]

“…Anek - do you fancy yourself a writer of prose or did you have something to say? It was difficult to tell - I'm sorry I just can't.... “

Of course I forgive you Mark, you should try the same. Anyway, I appreciate that you appreciate my writing style, chapeau for your sensibility.

“…And that is not meant to be insulting…”
…yes, not here, do it later, thanks again.
“…I just do not get the movie or video game references or what they have to do with me ..”

I am amazed because your low ability to catch ironic analogies, the whole world saw at he TV the live images of the jet fighters dropping intelligent bombs, and the infrared records taken at Bagdad meanwhile the city was crushed by the bombs of democracy. Green and white colors Mark, the colors through any infrared viewfinder. Perhaps you can’t see this colors, In this case I strongly recommend you to make a visit to your ophthalmologist.

“... I served my time. I drove point in convoys, sat in a ring mount with a 50 and watched kids stab each other in the street fighting over scrap metal…”

Moving. Congratulations. You were on the right side.

“…. powerless to intervene due to rules of engagement…”

Powerless!!?? Don’t you think that I am a complete idiot??
Am I an idiot? ...well, yes I am, but not complete one. Your statement is an easy way to justify… cowardliness? …numbness? …indifference? ...let me ask you about your brave attitude in front of this situation under a permissive rule, or if the victims were the yours and you were obliged to follow “the rules of engagement”. I bet you follow your impulse to protect the defenseless ones.
So, in front of this situation perhaps you follow the right thing, or perhaps you follow the “exemplary” manners of the dutch army in Sebrenica. Do you get it Mark? At all a soldier is not obliged to follow unmoral orders, the law protects you in this case, the laws of democracy. Only fascists and nazis are obliged.

“ …and yes have had bullets fired in my general direction in intent of doing me harm…”

… You are armed up your teeth wearing a military uniform of invader forces in a strange country; let me know what would you do if you were a local, then… what a hell were you expecting? Candies and flowers?!

“... Anyway - the point is - that I served - did you??? …”

No way, this is not the point. This is YOUR point; on the other hand you’re supposing that you’re the only hero under fire herein. Let me tell you just a few things:
First, if you were under fire… well, it can be true or it can be a lie from your side. Just to impress. Who knows?
Second, I was serving in a war too. I was under fire too, but not the fire of a starved resistance; I was under the fire of a strong regular army. So what?
Third, it can be true or… it can be a lie from my side. Just to impress. Who knows?
Fourth. This small detail IS NOT the point. This small detail DOES NOT GIVE ME; DO NOT GIVE YOU, the right -or not- to opine about a moral and ethic issue like an unjustified war. You DO NOT have the right because you are a vet.
You HAVE THE RIGHT because you are a concerned human being with conscience about the matter.

“…If not - please stop regurgitating the dramatic metaphors (or attempts at them) of what you see as some broader picture that you think I am missing....”
…Oh yes! I forget it. You are not insulting me. Thanks a lot.

“…One more thing about myself before I really jump back on topic. I joined the Marines to learn more about the world, and how it works - I did... I suggest you do the same...”

Come on Mark! In order to learn more about the world and how it works the normal people just buy a plane ticket and visit other countries with a camera, good will and genuine interests about local history, customs, foods, music, and all those civil stupid things without any importance. About this particular point I only can see that your traveling style is quite aggressive if not a dumb way to make friends. So, I am not surprised if you still feeling that someone is aiming a bullet to your head from some roofs and windows. Don’t you?

“… I earned a right to criticize…”
Here you are again. Please, do not hesitate, enlighten me, tell me how you earned this right meanwhile I can’t.

“…Back on the topic - your (and many others) defense of Zoriah on the grounds of censorship are made from comfy chair, and from a righteous political angle - one I share to an extent…”
NO way, I am not defending Zoriah, I am defending my right (your right) to know the truth, doesn’t matter if this truth is painful and horrible. It is the truth. Zoriah is just a simple messenger, an accident. If not Zoriah would be another.

"...In any other era the politic and lies that got us into this mess would have ended shortly in a coup, or revolution. It shocks me that the public is so blind and apathetic. But I know why it doesn't just explode in rioting... Because the REAL effects will never touch the masses - because it is someone else's kid serving in the volunteer military..."

…and because nobody is bombing daily the outskirts and downtown of Boston, San Francisco or Washington, and nobody have executed your (good, bad) president replacing him by a marionette, and because nobody have stolen the resources and richness of your country in the name of a perverse lie meanwhile starvation is crushing the american people… and the list of universal rights violations still going on. Too large for this space.

“…When it comes to pictures... I do not think we need the disembowelment's or open skull-caps of the type shown in Zoriahs shot at the big time.... We need every flag draped casket in a line on one giant funeral march during a long holiday week-end of people going to enjoy themselves - stuck in traffic - confronted with the bodies ~4000 dead kids…”

You are right; perhaps this is a way to do it. Just a slight difference of opinion based on a similar pain at all; there are much more than just 4000 corpses, so much more. But they never mind because they are not americans, they are not white anglosaxon people, even they are not christians, they are no human beings at all. Or are they? Or do they? I mean, why nobody says anything about this fact?
This is not a minor point Mark. This IS the most relevant part of this issue. We are talking about moral, right to life, human beings. Then all murdered people should count.

“… Hey why not do it every Friday afternoon in every city at rush hour? Or for that matter make it mandatory that your only way out of jury duty is to attend a military families funeral? Or better yet make the same mandatory personal attendance to receive your tax return....”

What a good question. Let me go further, someone compare the value of life against taxes, or a new car, or a week end in Miami, or the smile of Oprah, or… and go on, and go on.

Mark, there is a whole world beyond your borders, there are real people beyond the armor plate of your tank, there are a multitude waiting for justice. Then, in first place respect my right to know.

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