Tracking Al Qaeda in Iraq - After The Anbar Suicide Bombing

© Zoriah/www.zoriah.com : blog use permitted : use credit : link to zoriah.com : permalink to this post

I am not happy about the fact that I have become the news, as all I came here to do was document the news.  I feel that I need to continue to stand up for what I believe in and fight for the rights of all journalist here and those who may come here...so I will do so.

This blog is about photojournalism though, and I want to keep the attention on what is going on in Iraq, not just what is going on with the issue of freedom of press.  I will continue posting work from my embeds this summer, starting with this post.

-

Photo:  U.S. Marines search a home near Garma/Karmah in hopes of gaining more information regarding the attack on the 26th of June.  These searches and information gathering operations also help maintain as much security in the area as possible.

EDIT: The Multi National Force Iraq (MNF-I) upholds my rights to keep my credentials, minus the ability to document U.S. Marine operations. I would like to thank all of these senior officials for refusing to make decisions based on unsubstantiated claims. Click here to read my July 7th post.

Comments

[douglas]

After reading just a little of your blog, it is clear that it is all about you. It is no wonder that you were able to overlook common decency and publish these photos in spite of the fact that you were living with these Marines and owe them something.

As for your preposterous notions that people need to see this to understand what war really is, well, do your photos show us anything more than pictures from any other conflict? It's not like gory photos of war haven't been available before (for instance "Just Another War"-Jarecke,Cervenka), and those with the stomach for them have/will see them. There is no inherant artistic value or informative value to the pictures you took at the bombing sit(possible exception, the old man in the chair). Certainly not the photo of the dead Marine. Get over yourself, get over the idea that people can/want to be shocked. Those who look will not be shocked, those who don't don't want to be, and won't be reached this way anyway. So where does that leave you? It leaves you as a purveyor of anti-war porn. Feeling good?

Besides, by your logic, you could save many more lives coming back home, and taking pictures of awful traffic accidents (40-50,000 dead every year!). Why not post those to educate people about the importance of driving safely and soberly? Why doesn't anyone do that?????

Think about it and maybe you can still figure it out. Though I won't hold my breath.

[Dave]

You done good man. You are doing your job.

The people here in the U.S. are rapidly losing what was once called human nature and its associated empathy.

I've lived here over 60 years and have seen a lot of crap: from the civil rights movement to the anti war movement of the 60's. These were all vilified by the authorities. They were also all righteous.

People can be changed is what this history reveals. The humanity of people can be touched by reality and moved to react.

What has happened here is that the main stream media has desensitized us to violence and it is more and more difficult to touch the soul of people.

I'm so glad I found your blog. I've shared it with as many as I know.

I will keep it's link in my main website.

[Chris]

As a father of a Marine in Iraq, I hope the Corps makes you walk home.

Let's hope your parents don't see your head crushed from a bomb.

[Mac G]

Screw the haters. I would love for any of them to walk a day in Iraq or be put in any of these truly hopeless and dangerous situations.

The US soldiers are pawns for the Neocon and Bush Admins never ending war games. Iraqi deaths are seen as collateral damage.

Your blog is needed to see the REALITY of our American occupation of Iraq, what a truly dangerous place it is, and the complete gutting of their society.

Thanks for your postings.

[innocent bystander]

thank you, zoriah, for resisting censorship

i did not need to be convinced of the horror of this war, but perhaps these images will be seen by the people who, like george bush, think this war is glamorous

[Semper Fi Wife]

It is clear that those who believe the narrative that "all is lost in Iraq' will flock to your blog. You feed them the poisonous fruit they crave.
and those of us who actually live in the real world will hate it because words like "duty, honor, and respect" don't live in your crappy fake one. Sacrifice doesn't either.

I'm with the Marine dad who hopes you have to walk home. I do not hope your parents have to see what a bomb could do to your face. Unfortunately for the Marines you were embedded with, the families of those who fell that day, will see exactly what that looks like.
Congratulations, you're a two legged vulture. You didn't have to be.

[maltwo]

Its interesting how this is the only war since film arrived on the battlefield where it is considered "disrespectful" to show dead marines/soldiers. WW2? No problem! It was a righteous war! People were inspired by the scenes of sacrifice! KOREA? Also A-OK we were fighting commies after all, it was really important! also TV didnt have nearly the penetration that it did later on in VIETNAM: wait a minute... This is not working so good any more. The war is unpopular, the scenes of sacrifice every night on the 6 o'click news are not so inspiring any more. In fact they are starting to look more like scenes of carnage and slaughter.
Fast forward to the GULF WAR AKA the same B&W 10 second clip played over and over on CNN for 30 days. The military has learned its lesson. This is censorship to control "negative" imagery, just like the decision to forbid footage of the thousands of flag draped coffins coming off the planes.
This is not about "respect" it is about sanitizing the battlefield.

[Oscar Blanco]

Ahead with your work animation that do not want to hold your job, congratulations and TE from Mexico TE Mandar the strength to move forward.
Thank you for showing the horrors of war IN IRAQ

[senorlechero]

As a father of a marine who has done 3 tours in Iraq I want you to know something......you are below comtempt.

Enjoy your 15 minutes. You'll soon enough be forgotten.

[Natali]

The only thing disrespectful that has happened on this blog are the people who want to ignore and manipulate death into statistics rather than real human casualties. Zoriah is doing what Western media should have been doing from the start. It might disrupt your comfortable, over-privileged day to be faced with the consequences of what our governments have done, but so it goes. It's a responsibility as unselfish human beings to expose ourselves to the consequences of our actions.

By the way: the thinly veiled hopes that Zoriah suffers massive injury from so-called "parents of marines" are absolutely disgusting. You should all be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves. If you're genuine parents of soldiers fighting out there, I hope to god that your children have not absorbed such a callous attitude towards human life. I also hope your children come home safe, regardless of what they might have had to do to survive out there.

Zoriah, you're doing the most amazing job, I'm sad that so many people feel the need to crap on what you're doing and how you're risking your own life to report what you're experiencing. I hope this war doesn't have a long lasting negative affect on you and that you're safe wherever you go.

[senorlechero]

Natali...you are typical of the liars that are turning "evil to good" and "good to evil". There have been no "thinly veiled hopes" that this moron blogger is injured. Quite the opposite, hopes were expressed that he IS NOT injured and that his parents would not suffer the same misery he has caused.

But you, because you hate what is good and only love the evil you imagine is good, twist the words of a parent.

There is no honor in what has been done by this blogger, except in your twisted imagination.

[senorlechero]

My post above should have said "thinly veiled hopes" from "parents of marines"

[Labrys]

I am so sorry to see the hatred I see in the comments here. I have a son who is a veteran, disabled (tho' not by war) and home and another who will doubtless be in Iraq by year's end. I am not offended by your pictures; I think the nation, the world at large NEED to see what war really is and need to know what is done in Iraq in the name of the citizens of America. I do not want you injured or walking home, I want you safe and like you, I largely feel it is not about people like you and I, but about those who have to do the fighting commanded by those who sit safely in marble halls. I hope you do not mind that I have blogrolled you on my own blog website.

[Mike D]

I have to admit , I wanted to generate news about you and your situation (eh, I blogged about it, told friends, etc.). But it was more to put pressure on the military to keep your embed going. I was under the impression they were going to ship you out of there. Reading this blog is by far the best news source(media source? I can't think of a better word) and prevents me from becoming just another complacent american about the issues in Iraq. Also, it does so without having some agenda or a mindless advertising campaign, and for that I greatly thank you.

[mark Aleshnick]

I fight against these atrocious wars of colonial aggression and political expediency every day. Many days, I am so depressed that i don't even feel like getting out of bed. These disgraces against everything america claims to stand for singe my soul to the very depths of abject despair.

You, Zoriah, are like a beacon of light in the valley of darkness. It is you, your work, your courage and dedication to truth that provide me the strength to carry on.

The world is truly a better place because people like you refuse to be silenced despite the braying masses arrayed against you. May G-d bless and keep you.

[blewoutmyflipflop]

Once again, people, getting mad at the photojournalist will solve nothing. If a picture is taken and displayed, the act of doing so does not make that person any more, or any less dead than if the picture had never been taken and revealed. Where is your outrage when the AP posts pictures of dead Iraqis online? Remember, the Iraqis are not supposed to be our enemy, so again, where is your outrage then?

Zoniah, your situation resembles that of the AP reporter who spent more than a year in jail in Iraq without a single provable charge against him. From the April 2008 issue of Harpers (much shortened):

"Bilal Hussein belonged to a team of Associated Press photographers who received the profession's highest award – the Pulitzer Prize – for their coverage of fighting in the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2005. One year ago today he was seized by U.S. Forces in Iraq. He has been held in continuous custody since that time."
[...]
"U.S. officials indicated they lacked solid evidence on seven of the allegations and could not reveal the evidence they did have on the other two allegations because it was classified."
[...]
[According to his lawyer:]
"From my own examination of the case and discussions with U.S. representatives, I was convinced that Bilal Hussein was seized and has been held in captivity for the last year for one reason: the Pentagon was embarrassed by the photographs he took of the fighting in Al-Anbar province. They contradicted the message the Pentagon was putting out about the nature and scope of fighting in Al-Anbar and senior figures in the Bush Administration were particularly galled that the AP won the Pulitzer Prize for its photographic coverage of the war. The Pentagon wanted to send a message to the entire press community in Iraq: Cross us, and we can just lock you up. And we don't need reasons. This is justice in the style of the Bush administration."

The entire article is here:
http://harpers.org/archive/2007/04/horton-photojournalist-in-custody?redirect=1495886296

The Project for Excellence in Journalism, part of Pew Research Centers, updated their Survey of Reporters on the Front Lines last year.

Included was this brief story:

'Journalists did describe embedding relationships that have gone awry. “I was kicked off my embed when a new unit I was to go out with suffered its first casualties,” one newspaper correspondent wrote, describing one of the most extreme situations recounted by the journalists. “I was locked in a room for hours and then told I was no longer welcome with unit.”'

http://journalism.org/node/8645

Let us know if there is anyway some of your new fans can help you in the form of research or something.

Best,

[FreedomRings4U]

You are a typical media POS and am sorry to see that you cannot see past yourself to do the decent thing and NOT post a picture of a US Marine fatally injured in battle to promote your misleading BS on the web. It is quite typical of your ilk to do this so I am not surprised. These men and women stand up 24x7x365 to protect your freedom to express your f'd up, eyes closed, head up the ass view and you turn around and piss on them as if they were nothing. You should be thankful the Marines in Anbar "excused" you before your worthless punk face was blown off covering the action and posted on the web so your family and friends could have in horror possibly "stumbled" across the photo. You are everything that is wrong with the media today and hope that you've made a name for yourself now that will end your "career" as a "journalist(?). You call this your right to "Freedom of Speech"??? You don't have even a vague inkling of what your freedom costs everyday. All I can say is watch your ass butt munch! AMF!

[douglas]

"Its interesting how this is the only war since film arrived on the battlefield where it is considered "disrespectful" to show dead marines/soldiers. WW2? No problem! It was a righteous war!"

It helps to actually have knowledge about the subject you are addressing before laying it out in black and white in public. The first photo published in America in WWII was over TWO AND A HALF YEARS into our involvement in the war. It was also published TEN MONTHS after the photo was taken, and the photo was completely anonymous. At least get an understanding of history before you invoke it to prop up your pathetic arguments.

Those of you who think this blog is a great source of news information, you've obviously never heard of Michael Yon, or Bill Roggio, or some of the pretty good blogs from the troops themselves, for instance Lt. G at his blog KABOOM.

Here's a thought. If his stated goal was to wake people up to the reality of war, why did he even feel the need to hide the image behind click-throughs? Why not keep it on the home page, right up front for everyone to see? Isn't his keeping the photo on a back page an admission that it's not about getting in the un-informed's faces about the reality of war? It's on a back page because he knows what it is- it's anti-war porn. If you look around on the web, the most gruesome photos of war are always on the anti-war websites. It seems there's always a strange attraction to the grisly for them. I don't even like horror movies- not because I can't stomach them, but because I just don't find them entertaining. Clearly, people like Zoriah are big time horror movie fans. And anti-war porn afficionados. I think it's a sickness. Really.

If he really wanted people to understand the reality of war, he'd take a trip to Walter Reed, and talk to the guys there. It's tough to call that 'sanitized', but at least it has dignity. and honor. Things he apparently knows nothing about.

[mark Aleshnick]

Freedomrings4u, the poster above me, talks from the comfort and safety of the cocoon he's chosen to live in blindered by the realities of the world and these atrocious wars.

His audacity in mentioning honor and dignity is beneath contempt - probably one of those Fox News junkies who worship at the alter of rush, hannity, o'reilly and coulter and the rest of the contemptible media complicit in allowing the slaughter to go on unencumbered by truthful reporting.

68% of the country reject these wars, and thanks to the courage of those like Zoriah, these numbers will only increase, until the blood thirsty cretins. who mouth vacuous platitiudes, while thinking a bumber sticker indicates support for the troops have been silenced.

Zoriah, on the other hand, affirms his support with his body and soul. You. who cannot comprehend this, should be ashamed of yourselves, as you watch the country spiral deeper and deeper into terminal decline, whilst you swill your beers, maintain your mindless "sports" addictions, and presume that your weekly doses of "reality" television bear any semblance to the reality of the world you live in.

Zoriah is reality - the rest of you chickenhawks are but poseurs.

[Shanyn]

I have lost two people dear to me to this war and my brother in law is in the Middle East right now. My neighbor will be going for his 3rd deployment in three months.

These pictures make me so very sad. But I have to say that the comments only compound that sadness. Hatred and intolerance begets hatred and intolerance. How much more history do we all need to recount to prove that fact?

You are in my heart Zoriah and I hope that you are safe everyday. Thank you for following your passion and your heart in your work, I hope that you can move through enough of the tragedy and sadness to continue life in that vein.

[Melissa Chi]

Zoriah, you've got my respect and admiration for standing up to people who think they can control people like you (real journalists) to publish only what they want...

I think it's really important to tell the world the truth... don't hide the ugly nor the beautiful... show them as it is..

People will appreciate it... and it's really unfortunate that there are so many haters out there... especially those who direct their anger to journalists who are actually just the messenger...

To those who don't agree with Zoriah - was it because you don't want to see the ugliness of reality? or are you too afraid to actually be angry towards those who fuel the war??

Fight for what is right.

ps. without people like Zoriah, those in power have the freedom to do whatever the hell they want - without the world even realizing... can you imagine living in that world?????

You've got the responsibility to not see that happen. Yes, every single one of you out there.

[douglas]

Well, Mr. Aleshnick, I admire your honesty in using your real name in posting a comment purely of ad hominem attack, with no substance whatever. It stands on it's own merits (or lack thereof).

Tell us, Zoriah; Besides the MNF-I hold harmless agreement you posted, didn't you also sign this one:

http://www.defenselink.mil/NEWS/FEB2003/D20030210EMBED.PDF

In that agreement, didn't it say the following?

"4. The media employee agrees to:
a. Participate in the embedding process and to follow the direction and orders of the
Government related to such participation. The media employee further agrees to follow
Government regulations. The media employee acknowledges that failure to follow any direction,
order, regulation, or ground rule may result in the termination of the media employee’s
participation in the embedding process."

And:

"8. The media organization and the media employee understand and agree that the Government
may terminate the embedding process at any time and for any reason, as the Government
determines appropriate in its sole discretion."

Therefore, your assertions that the Marines aren't playing by the rules as you understood them is fallacious, correct?

If you want to complain about the rules, fine, complain. Perhaps you forgot about that release. Now, let's just be honest and drop the notion that you followed the rules and the Marines unjustly dis-embedded you.

Again, I challenge you to address the issue of putting the photos behind click throughs on a back page, and how that subverts your reasoning about the purpose being to wake up those who are 'ignorant' about the realities of war.

It's a ludicrous idea anyway, that people just need to see these images and they'd want the war stopped today. Some people I know who have seen such grusome realities up close, are fully aware of the realities of war, and would rather not see those images, nor think they should be published in this manner. None the less, they support the war. How would you explain that?

I find it interesting that all the supportive postings here have no rationale for why it was proper to publish these images, only that they like your political stance, and therefore support you. Any means to the 'approved' end, eh?

And how does it feel to be a purveyor of anti-war porn?

[Saxlor]

This is truly a breathtaking blog. You seem to be capturing the day-to-day life of a soldier in Iraq. I'm so sorry for what has happened and for the censure and "dismissal". It astounds me that the very "freedoms" the military fights for are the very same "freedoms" they censor. The whole situation is frustrating to witness. I applaud you for not backing down and I wish you the best. Ignore the naysayers. Don't let the bastards grind you down.

[douglas]

Umm, he is not being censored in any way shape of form. He is completely free to run around photographing whatever he wants in public areas in Iraq, but he will no longer be allowed to do it while embedded with the Marines. That is their prerogative. I mean, c'mon, they didn't even take away his camera or data storage with the images in question. How can you say he's being censored?

[nilk]

Douglas, he's being censored because everyone says so.

As for the "day-to-day" reality of life of the soldiers (sic) in Iraq, well, you wouldn't understand that unless you were there and one of them.

I'm not there, I'm not one of them. I wouldn't dare to wear the arrogance of that comment.

For those reading this far, who have actually served their countries (or indeed still are), God bless you all.

For Zoriah, perhaps a little more consideration for the dead.

Those we fight against have no respect for the dead - their own or especially ours - so why on earth would you want to be like them?

See: Green Helmet Guy, islamic porn and all the rest that google has to offer.

Unless of course, you can't beat them so you want to join them.

I'll add you to my prayers tonight, sir.

[mark Aleshnick]

Douglas, who hasn't the courage to post his full name, but expresses admiration of me for posting mine condemns me for ad hominem attacks. He overlooks my comment that when 68% of people oppose this war, the concept of representative government has effectively been abbrogated.

Further, in contrast to you, Douglas ___, my words are closely scrutinized as I live in u.s. militarily occupied Okinawa where I share this island with 50,000 pawns in this misguided ill-conceived genocide conceived by a evil coterie of liars and deceivers who have never served.

In contrast to you, I know these guys - I interact with them on a daily basis, and they know my views quite clearly

So my pro-war porn afficionado. who is it who walks the walk
where the real battles are being raged, and who is it hiding behind his glorified typewriter?

It may come as a surprise to you that many of these servicemen feel TOTALLY betrayed by the endless screwing they've received at the hands of the chickenhawk republicans. It also may surprise you to know how many are refusing the blood money offered for re-enlistments and defying stop-loss orders; and it certainly will probably come as a shock to you when McCain and the whole republican hierarchy is resoundedly defeated soon.

Mind you, the dumbocrats and conventional media are equally complicit. but it us the g.o.p. who will bear the 1ST barrage of pent up shock and awe.

Silence IS complicity, and ever our military brothers in arms have finally come to see that the phrase does not apply only to the Nazis only.

How much respect do you think these soldiers have who signed up to avenge 9/11 and OBL and hear POTUS claim: (I) "truly am not that concerned about him," as they watch their families struggle in the destroyed moral and economic climate this errant "cakewalk" Iraq venture has left.

All the while you live in a crude world of delusion that allows your sick mind to equate opposition to war with pornography. That in itself speaks volumes about, what a small minded little blood luster you really are.

[blewoutmyflipflop]

@Douglas 8:18 AM

And all the others that have so self-righteously detailed their contempt for Zoriah in these pages...

Thanks for the link to the February 2003 DOD archives where I found an interesting article from the American Forces Press Service, dated Feb. 26, called "If War Starts, Battle Coverage to Be Unprecedented."

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=29382

4th paragraph:

"Clarke didn't deny that live coverage could possibly lead to AMERICAN VIEWERS SEEING AMERICAN SOLDIERS DIE IN BATTLE. "War is not a pleasant thing," she said. "That's why the president and others are trying so hard to exhaust every possibility, so that (armed conflict) is a last resort.""

[Clark = Victoria Clarke, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.]

5th paragraph:

"Such open coverage is only possible because media representatives and defense officials have spent countless hours drawing up media "rules of engagement." Clarke said cooperation between major media outlets and the Pentagon has been extraordinarily close in recent months to determine how best to facilitate news coverage."

8th paragraph:
"The assistant secretary refused to allow Lauer to categorize such broad coverage as propaganda. On the contrary, she noted, OPENNESS IS THE U.S. MILITARY'S WAY OF COUNTERING IRAQI PROPAGANDA."

Obviously, the military and the embeds knew the rules going in and had accepted the possibility of dead American soldiers being displayed in the media. Nothing in Zoriah's Nov. 2007 agreement nullified any of the above. http://www.zoriah.net/blog/clarification-definition-.html
It is the Marine commanders that are out of line, not Zoriah.

[mark Aleshnick]

And for you armchair warriors like nilk who speak of respect for the dead, don't for a moment think we are unaware of the military drop-gun policy, where almost all units carry captured weapons, so when innocent civilians (collateral damage, please you more?) are murdered in their homes and beds, the weapons can be used to classify those civilian casualties as would be terrorists.

"Clever" bunch of deceptive liars, the new american war machine.

And do any of you violence loving stay at home warriors have the courage to listen to the only true heroes in this abomination - 200 currently active military and veterans who have offered to repeat this testimony of u.s. war crimes under oath in front of Congress:

http://ivaw.org/

[douglas]

Mr. Aleshnick. I'm sorry you're so full or anger and rage. So full of it that you can't dialogue civilly, or rationally. I made no disparaging remarks about you personally, but criticized your post as being ad hominem (which is simply fact). Why this should prevoke such outrage is curious. Perhaps you should reflect on that a while.

So, you said:

"Douglas, who hasn't the courage to post his full name, but expresses admiration of me for posting mine condemns me for ad hominem attacks."

Well, I use my actual name, though not full. even if i used my full name, it's common enough that it wouldn't make me much less anonymous anyway, so I'm being as straightforward about who I am as I can, really. And I merely stated that you were making ad hominem attacks, and leaving the value judgement to the reader. You call that condemnation. Interesting.

"He overlooks my comment that when 68% of people oppose this war, the concept of representative government has effectively been abbrogated."

Of course, the problem with that is that we haven't had a Presidential election in three and a half years, so there's been no abbrogation whatever. We'll see what the people want this coming November. Democracy lives, you can relax a bit.

"Further, in contrast to you, Douglas ___, my words are closely scrutinized as I live in u.s. militarily occupied Okinawa where I share this island with 50,000 pawns in this misguided ill-conceived genocide conceived by a evil coterie of liars and deceivers who have never served."

Well, plenty of anger there. I'm curious, if these are your feelings, how on earth did you end up in such a circumstance? And just what circumstance is that exactly? It's unclear from your comment. Oh, and while you are correct that I never served, when you wrote this, how would you know anything about me? On what grounds do you make all these assumptions?

"In contrast to you, I know these guys - I interact with them on a daily basis, and they know my views quite clearly"

O.K. Good for you, I guess. Again, you know nothing about me, but assume away.

"So my pro-war porn afficionado. who is it who walks the walk
where the real battles are being raged, and who is it hiding behind his glorified typewriter?"

Well, I'm not sure how I earned the title 'pro-war porn afficianado' since I've posted no pro-war porn at all, whatever that is. By the way, last I checked, there wasn't any combat action on Okinawa, at least not in a few decades. Have you been deployed in the past? As for me 'hiding behind my glorified typewriter', well, will the military take asthmatics on daily inhalers? I thought not, but perhaps I'm wrong on that. Besides, are you saying that if you want to comment on the war, you've got to have skin in the game? That would leave most of your ideological comrades out, wouldn't it? I don't think you really believe the chickenhawk thing, do you?

"It may come as a surprise to you that many of these servicemen feel TOTALLY betrayed by the endless screwing they've received at the hands of the chickenhawk republicans. It also may surprise you to know how many are refusing the blood money offered for re-enlistments and defying stop-loss orders; and it certainly will probably come as a shock to you when McCain and the whole republican hierarchy is resoundedly defeated soon."

I suppose I'd be completely unsurprised. I do know that reenlistment rates are above target. ["The army sets goals each year, for the percentage of troops who will re-enlist when their current enlistment (usually for four years) is up. This past year, about 14 percent of troops in each combat brigade were expected to re-enlist. Nearly all brigades exceeded this figure, with the most spectacular being the 4th brigade of the 25th Infantry division, which had 37 percent of its troops reenlist."] As for those who do not want to re-enlist, good for them, they shouldn't.

"All the while you live in a crude world of delusion that allows your sick mind to equate opposition to war with pornography. That in itself speaks volumes about, what a small minded little blood luster you really are."

Well, it speaks volumes about your tendency to make assumptions and illogical extensions. I stated that I thought Zoriah was a purveyor of anti-war porn, because he hid a photo that he defended as being essential for people to see, behind click throughs, on a back page. Inconsistent logic. I believe that one can be opposed to the war (even all wars) and be honorable and logical, and reasonable. Here, I have found little evidence of such. But don't let me interfere with your generalizations.

But hey, you're not really interested in any discussion, you just want to bash me with your virtual club. If it helps your blood pressure go down, please have at it.

[douglas]

Flipflop,

The problem with the article at the link you provided was that it was specifically talking about "live coverage", in other words, live video feeds, not still photographs. Besides, even in the hold-harmless agreement that Zoriah himself showed you (if you followed the link) it says:
"(11)(b)DOD will release names of KIAs. In respect for family members, names or images clearly identifying individuals “killed in action” will not be released prior to notification of next ot kin and in accordance with current legislation. Names of KIAs may be released after the DOD announcement has been made – journalists may check the Defenselink.mil Web site for those announcements."

Now I know what Zoriah's argument is- that he did wait until after notification, and followed the letter of the rules, but he then wants to posit that therefore, the Marines have no right to dis-embed him. Of course, they in fact do (see my July 9th, 11:33 comment). But that's really an aside. What is really at issue here is ethics, and common decency. Some will counter that a greater good is served by posting the picture. I say, if that is so, post it right out front and center. Give it away to spread the news far and wide with no limitations or burden from the desire to make a profit. Print posters of it and put them up around town. If you aren't going to do any of those things, I question the premise that it was necessary to post it at all.

You know, you'd think that you guys would at least gove some credit to the military for allowing him to embed at all. Had he simply followed the request of that unit to not post that one picture, he'd still be embedded. But hey, he's 'sticking it to the man!'. Yeah, that's working out well. Way to move the cause forward, dude.

[mark Aleshnick]

Of course Douglas would be loathe to infirm you as he reports on enlistment rates, that qualifications have been continually lowered.
Felonies that previously disqualified wnlistees have been waived, and the latest figures from the Army show that one in 5 haven't even completed high school.

People like Douglas like to report only what is favorable to them.

Oh, and as for action in Okinawa, military personel and flights ship out of here EVERY day to theater, so I think I am much more qualified to report on military attitudes than our typewriting warrior.

The rest of your post is nothing but blather and subterfuge, so I'll leave you with your delusions.

[mark Aleshnick]

"Mr. Aleshnick. I'm sorry you're so full or anger and rage."

Oh, and one more thing, if the thought of 4,000 needlessly dead americans and countless Iraqi civilian casualties doesn't fill you with anger and rage, then you are way beyond any kind of redemption.

[nilk]

At the risk of sounding flippant first off, Mark, looking at your education system in the US, one in 5 army members not finishing high school rather shows good judgement.

And as an armchair warrior,well, I'll just add that to the list of names I've been called.

You don't seem to get it. So many people commenting here just don't get it.

Zoriah may be a good photographer. He may be a photographer.

That is not the point.

The point is, he doesn't seem to have any sense of decency towards the dead.

I've seen the islamic war porn. I've visited Ogrish and before that rotten.com.

I know where to go if I want to find pictures of bodies.

I don't.

I want to know what's happening on the ground to our guys without an anti-war agenda being pushed down my gullet.

Zoriah can show humanity and decency and put the camera away a few posts back when it's an Iraqi man losing a child, but when it's his own people, he'd rather keep taking photos.

He also has a disdain for the rules, as evidenced by his posting of photos taken in Kuwait when he was aware that it was against regulations.

That is neither respect nor decency.

At the very least it's bloody rude, and at worst, his blog provides photographic evidence of where our side are living and under what conditions for the enemy.

Way to go.

[mark Aleshnick]

If you find it rude, and if you imagine disdain for rules, there are plenty of sites left for the 1 in 3 who still support this crazed venture.

Why waste your time on a site that you can neither comprehend, and all the disinformation you attempt to spew is amply disproved?

Go preach to the choir.

Those who come here read and investigate - they know things that will take you years, if not a lifetime to ackowledge.

[douglas]

"People like Douglas like to report only what is favorable to them."

It's just an effort to lend some balance to the discussion. For instance, the lowered standards you mention, it should also be said that it only applied to less than 1% of enlistees. Do you think that significant? Do you think people convicted of non-violent felonies, if showing remorse and a desire to make good, should be allowed an opportunity in the military, or do you think they should be left with no options?

By the way, I'm not sure how as an ESL teacher in Oki, that you know so much about the military and the attitudes of it's personnel. But if you say so, fine.

As for the 4000 deaths- I don't think they were unnecessary, however, we tolerate 40-50K unecessary deaths every single year here at home in traffic accidents. What are you doing about that? Why isn't Zoriah mounting a huge campaign of showing people gruesome photos of traffic accident victims so that, in the words of John Muir ("How to Keep Your volkswagen Alive")- "If we all constantly drive as if we were strapped to the front of the car like Aztec sacrifices so we'd be the first thing hit, there would be a helluva lot less accidents."

So if it's American lives you're out to save, there are more urgent matters.

What's it really about then?

[Martyn]

Seeing as my last post regarding this coward was not posted, I will rephrase my words.

Zoriah Miller. Your name is carved into the minds of the Marines in 2/3. We hate you. You lie when you say that you had our support. You have none and I know for a fact that many of us echo the sentiments expressed by an Echo Co Marine when he said "that he hopes to see you again so he can smash your camera into your face." You are a self serving liar.

You do not seek to represent truth, you photograph what will get you noticed by the liberal media outlets in the world. I notice that you have not a single conservative organization that has used your work. Why might that be? Because you are baised, and your hatred and disrespect towards those of us in the military is shown in the way that you do no honor our fallen.

I can identify the fallen Marines. I have friends that can do the same. I guess that removes that little loophole for you huh?

The biggest mistake that the Marine Corps made was letting your sick, demented mind anywhere near our operations. You were going to paint a horrid picture the first chance you were given. And you did. You f*cking coward.

You dont even care to address those that you work(ed) with by their proper term: MARINES... not Soldiers. Yet great diligence is placed in making sure that the public sees fallen heroes.

To all those that think that Miller is accurately portraying the operations that go on over there, quit your jobs and don some armour and do patrols up and down the streets of Karma and Zaidon... then tell me that this traitor speaks the truth. Until you do that, you are a pathetic individual that is senselessly injecting uneducated and irresponsible comments into a realm that needs not and ought not respect them.

Lets see if freedom of speech is so respected by those that dont want to hear our voices. Laurel post this... let the truth come out. I have kept my comments focused on the work of the traitor.

By the way... your know what Zoriah Miller... it was also in your best interest that you leave. There isnt a squad of Marines with the knowledge of what you did anywhere in the world, let alone Al Anbar that would allow you under their blanket of security ever again. You are best off in the green zone in Bagdhad you traitor, you insurgent, you coward...

[Laurel Havir Porter]

When I published the post about the Al Qaeda attack in Garma/Karmah for Zoriah on June 30th, his recently started blog was read by about 175 people a day, most of whom were family, friends, and fans of his photography. Zoriah began his career in disaster response. To show the scene he encountered and to describe his reaction was natural. He has witnessed both death and the PTSD that affects the survivors of horrific natural and man made disasters countless times.

I hear Americans from both parties ask to see more of the Iraq War. My father is a veteran, and also a Republican who voted for Bush twice, and intends to vote for McCain. He thinks America needs to see war for what it is. My parents are shocked at what Zoriah and I have experienced after posting Zoriah's blog diary about the attack.

Why are people in our United States military allowed to express hate or make violent threats against their own citizens without anyone stepping in to stop them?

When Al Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center, and photojournalists documented Americans dead and dying, did we vilify the journalists? How many members of the police force, firefighters, and military threatened journalists and tried to ruin their reputations because they had their cameras out and documented American deaths?

[mark Aleshnick]

"What's it really about then?" douglas asks;

Oh, it's really much "ado about nothing." - It's about a single word. GENOCIDE.

The traitor, douglas, is you - you have turned your backs on the original intent of the framers who wrote the constitution; the constitution which ALL military members pledge to defend.

That pledge does not say ANYTHING about defending ANY war-bent administration.

And don't pretend with your smug ESL remark to know anything about me or what it is I do here.

I DO, however know you and what you do HERE.

Your primary intent is to obfuscate with totally whacky remarks about traffic fatalities which are NOT in the slightest germane to the subject of this blog; and inane contentions of how recruitment is going swimmingly, and then tail between your legs
maintaining that 1 in 5 failures to complete hugh school is but a small percentagem and something to be proud of.

My quotes are CURRENT DOD figures, and the decline on standards and felony admissions is increasing. You cherry pick your facts, much like the administration cherry picked their WMD "evidence."

You should be ashamed of your infantile, devious deceptions, but you aren't. As I said before, you haven't the capacity for "rage or anger" against indefensible injustices which the whole world recognizes as well as 2/3 of your countrymen

[nilk]

Laurel, there is a small issue of "context."

By all means, record what is happening, but bear in mind at all times what is actually going on that's not in the bigger world.

If you read Zoriah's text, look at his images, it's easy to see (for me, at least), that he feel himself above the rules that govern the rest of us.

As Martyn above commented, Zoriah does not even have the respect for Marines to call them Marines. He calls them "soldiers."

I've got friends in the Marines, and the one time I made a comment about soldiers I was roundly smacked down.

Marines are not soldiers.

In my defence, I'm australian, and we don't have Marines, so I got off lightly!

As an embed, Zoriah should have been one of the team. He should have had more care for the rules that the Marines and other troops live under.

He didn't.

He shows disdain for those who would willingly give their lives so he can take his photos and put out his one view of the world.

What would Zoriah lay down his life for? Anything?

God bless your father for his service, and I agree with him that the world needs to see more of the war on the news and in the papers.

But we need to see the whole picture. We need to see terrorists celebrating when they kill our people.

We need to see the chicanery of those who would bring down the country that provides the greatest freedom to man ever known.

We need to have an open discussion about islamist supremecist ambitions - what jihad really is, and how our men and women are fighting it.

Zoriah does not do that.

He does not inspire. He degrades the service of those who died in his presence.

[nilk]

Bugger. Apologies for the typo.

"supremecist" shoudl be "supremacist"

And Martyn, God bless you, too.

And thank you.

[mark Aleshnick]

"We need to see the chicanery of those who would bring down the country that provides the greatest freedom to man ever known.

Cramming our perverted definition of democracy down the world's throat, whether they like it or not - FIFTY military interventions since WWII:

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/KillingHope_page.html

Why do they hate us?

[mark Aleshnick]

Douglas, our resident typewriting warrior pontificates upon matters which he is TOTALLY clueless about. When I first mentioned that i live amongst 50,000 military members in Okinawa, the largest concentration in all of SouthEast Asia, his response: "By the way, last I checked, there wasn't any combat action on Okinawa,"

A real nowhere man, siting in his nowhere land, making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Where did you think military members deploy from? Do you grow them in your backyard?

[L.Drummond]

Mark, Mark, Mark.

Have you read the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights? The one that declares sharia as the basis for all legislation?

Aside from that, I notice from your link that the Cuban revolution was apparently a Good Thing.

Have you visited http://www.therealcuba.com/ lately?

In any case, why is it that whenever there's trouble in the world, it is always America that's expected to do the heavy lifting?

Why have the majority of Nato countries allowed their militaries to atrophy? Could it be their confidence in American might and goodwill?

We aussies are known to punch above our weight in times of trouble, but you guys are there first and get a whole lot more done than we can.

This is not actually a Bad Thing.

nilk

[mark Aleshnick]

nilk, nilk, nilk; douglas, douglas, douglas

nilk, "Aside from that, I notice from your link that the Cuban revolution was apparently a Good Thing." Your conclusions are exactly that YOUR conclusions.

Got any qualms about torture as a means of spreading democracy:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/12/10308/

And nilk, a little disengenious of you to pick one of fifty cited interventions, wouldn't you think?

Yeah, I can hear the braying reponse already - the International Red Cross is a bunch of liberal /commie sympathizers!

[L.Drummond]

Mark, there are very few charitable organisations I support - http://www.barnabasfund.org/ is one, and http://www.kidswithcancer.org.au/ is another.

I also donate online to various causes.

International Red Cross is not one, but American Red Cross has been known to receive my money. Not that I should have to wave my credentials at you.

You speak of torture under American auspices. Going by the experiences of our very own David Hicks, that would mean getting well fed and exercised.

I'm sure those members of the Iraqi soccer team who had the great (mis)fortune to lose under Saddam's sons would much rather be in Gitmo than Baghdad.

We can prate on about America's eeevil reputation for ever, but that takes us off the topic.

Which is... why Zoriah's work could be considered war porn, and why he could have, just perhaps, considered a little more carefully before posting his photos of fallen Marines.

Again, there are plenty of sites out there that will provide us with all the war porn we could ever want and then some, but that still does not tell the whole story of what is happening over there and how it affects us all in the bigger scheme of things.

nilk

[mark Aleshnick]

Nilk purveying still more of HIS disgusting, disengenious. disinformation;

"You speak of torture under American auspices."

Learn to read - those are NOT my allegations - they are the allegations of the Red Cross.

You want to retreat to "on-topic?" His posts were 100% within the regulations. You can squirm and squiggle all you want.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but when all is said and done, it is still a pig.

[nilk]

Mark, I've not wanted to be a boy since I was 8 years old, but good work. I've only had XX chromosomes for 40 years so far.

Zoriah may have been "100% within the regulations," as you say, but there is a difference between the word of the law and the spirit of the law.

These things seem to be a bit difficult for some people.

In any case, the Marines were well within their rights to terminate his embedding.

According to regulations.

I guess they can't justify it enough to satisfy you - Zoriah should be able to peddle any photos he likes when he likes and regard for the families and friends of those Marines be dammed.

There are some things you won't get, and real compassion appears to be one of them.

[mark Aleshnick]

Compassion, nilk, is not just a word to for you bandy about whilst pretending to care.

While your tax dollars helped pay for 9 more dead servicemen in Afghanistan today, your continued defense of what is clearly indefensible to nearly the entire world and 2/3 of your fellow countrymen is your burden to bear.

Silence is complicity. Leading the cheerleader brigade is far worse than that. Clearly the lessons of Nuremberg fall on your deaf ears.

[douglas]

Mr. Aleshnick, really, I pity you. You seek out conflict and use it to vent your rage. You legitimize your rage by buying into all sorts of questionable stories and ideas. You seek out the echo chambers you consider honest sources and fell emboldened in your rage. It will destroy you, eventually. Look within yourself, and see if you can find a way to tame the rage. It is unhealthy.

By the way, there are about 26,500 U.S. military personnel based in Okinawa, not 50,000. There are only 40,000 in all of Japan. You can't even get that right. Really, this should make you wonder how you could be wrong on something so close to home for you. Perhaps you shouldn't lean on that as a credential.

And I'm still waiting for some kind of statement from Zoriah. I assume he's busy trying to get re-embedded.

[douglas]

Laurel,
I appreciate that you must feel besieged by ill will of late. Please understand that it isn't about the ideology- so your fathers politics are irrelevant. It's about insensitivity and disrespect. It's about confusing a shocking image with one that is moving or inspiring to action. It's about bemoaning getting dis-embedded while, frankly, there are bigger issues out there.

So, while I harbor no ill will personally toward you, or even Zoriah, I feel compelled to make it clear why many think it was inappropriate to post the controversial image when he did.

"My parents are shocked at what Zoriah and I have experienced after posting Zoriah's blog diary about the attack."

Really? You should try to imagine what the response could have been. I think, for the most part (and there are always some), it's been pretty civil, if unpleasant for you all.

"Why are people in our United States military allowed to express hate or make violent threats against their own citizens without anyone stepping in to stop them?"

Technically, they're not permitted to make violent threats, and I imagine that it wouldn't be too hard for Zoriah to get an investigation started into any threats you have received from any posters who are actually active military. They do however have every right to express hatred, though I would caution them to temper their words.

"When Al Qaeda attacked the World Trade Center, and photojournalists documented Americans dead and dying, did we vilify the journalists? How many members of the police force, firefighters, and military threatened journalists and tried to ruin their reputations because they had their cameras out and documented American deaths?"

Had any of them showed an identifiable shot of firemans remains, don't you think there'd be a reaction? Think of all the shots that we didn't see. I'm sure there were plenty. I think someone already mentioned that we didn't see any shots of people embedded in the ground after jumping. I'm sure we could have. Certainly photographers at the scene could have taken those pictures, and I suspect many didn't even do that. Had they, I'm pretty sure they would likely never publish them, as it'd be seen as morbidly obscene, regardless the message that might be sent about the horrible circumstances of their deaths. Sometimes the message just has to find another way. A good photographer should know when that is, and/or should have a good editor to guide him in these things. It's too easy to get enamored of ones own work to the point of blinding oneself to the impact this will have in the real world.

I think it's also interesting that if you go back and look, there have been a total of two comments that were threatening in any way. One of those from a Marine in the unit of the victim so 'artfully' portrayed on this blog. One can understand his rage, even if you think it should be restrained.

The rest of the comments have certainly called into question Zoriah's character, and made unflattering remarks, but have been remarkably civil. I mean, what kind of reaction did Zoriah think posting that photo would get? I'm really curious to hear that answer. I suspect it wasn't given too much thought.