Baghdad, Iraq: Is the CNN Report Accurate?
Four Days in Iraq – Is what’s happening on CNN actually happening?
In a word – “no!” CNN has their studio/production facility in the same hotel we were in. While they allowed us to use their phone and were very cooperative, what we saw on their channel each day vs. what we saw in Baghdad were two different things. Watching CNN one gets the impression that Baghdad is unsafe everywhere and at all times, not so, we moved freely on the streets, especially during the day, in all economic neighborhoods. That we were here on the anniversary of the war made it more dangerous to be sure. But what was so disheartening is that CNN does not carry the positive news, specifically the major reconstruction activities and community action initiatives. We interviewed Ambassador M.B. Bearpark, a Brit in charge of reconstruction and infrastructure. What is intuitive but not reported is that Iraq under Saddam was crumbling. There are electrical systems using 40 year old generative equipment, bridges and roads in disrepair, antiquated telecommunications, and schools with no books, desks, or materials.
In short, there is plenty of money for palaces and guns but an infrastructure that is rotten to the core. Of course the war damage was also a problem but there is remarkable progress just to keep old equipment running until it can be replaced (We have great footage of makeshift wiring). Most money being spent goes to Iraqi contractors except for the big oil repair/pipeline issues being done by KBR (Brown & Root/Halliburton). Speaking of oil, production is already back to pre-war level, in spite of outdated equipment in various states of disrepair. Fixing pipelines blown up by insurgents goes on continuously. Perhaps the most important aspect of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) not being reported is the community outreach activity. We spent a day with a unit that is working on four projects: agriculture assistance, a police station, a medical center and schools, all of which are located on BIAP property. In order for Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) to re-open (hopefully this summer), it must have a functioning police center and medical center. All the equipment, antiquated as it was, was looted during the war. We visited the remodeled medical center and its old employees who are eager to return to work. By far the most impressive effort we witnessed was the school at French Village. French Village is a small community of modest houses built to house French employees who built the airport. Most residents today also worked at BIAP. At The Girl’s School, we saw a project of CPA’s community activity division, from remodeling to providing playground equipment to mentoring the kids. The troops (mostly reservists) are making a real difference in tomorrow’s Iraq. Wait until you see the video. There is still a sentiment among some Iraqis that the Americans and CPA are here to stay. We were told of two occasions that the CPA was behind the Shia Mosque bombing on March 2 that killed hundreds on a Holy Day. Their reasoning is that this will mean the occupation must continue. A huge issue is the rumor mill as a primary means of communication (miscommunications). Apparently Saddam’s Iraq was always alive with rumors since the press was controlled. And, speaking of the press, there are about 200 publications posing as newspapers. Obviously we couldn’t read them, but you can imagine the obvious mock of journalistic standards. In fact, we were inadvertently caught up in an Iraqi news media walkout. Colin Powell stopped in unexpectedly and did a press briefing with Paul Bremer. A newspaper person made a statement condemning CPA for apparently killing two Iraqi journalists in an insurgent intense area north of Baghdad. He then led a dignified walkout of Iraqi press. We hurried around the corner with a camera and began interviewing the leader. Security ran the entire group out of the convention center and then out of the Green Zone. Powell carried on, saying the incident would be investigated. Of course, the walkout led CNN’s news coverage along with the deaths of the journalists who were apparently driving next to terrorists.
Security
On Saturday afternoon following our tour with the community activity unit, we went to the terminal to check on how to get to the airport on Sunday to catch our plane. David Shoe of Airport Ops said we should go back to our hotel, pack our bags and return to BIAP as soon as possible as trouble was expected in the city due to the one year anniversary of the war. We were to return and meet Mike Sutton at Checkpoint One, then be escorted to a mobile home to spend the night safely. Dan Ritchie of Custer Battles got us good food, a clean room and access to the Internet. We were very well cared for and then taken to the terminal the next day. From our perspective the troops/contractors were just super, and they definitely looked after our safety. That night rockets were launched into the Green Zone injuring several people. Another rocket landed near our now departed hotel, killing 2-3 Iraqis.
History
On the segment we’ve decided to do on Iraq, we believe that its history is essential to understanding the events of the last year, the last 15 years and Saddam’s reign. While we intend to make use of historical and background footage, we also have video of certain landmarks that help tell the story of Iraq’s history. During this segment a viewer will get information covering Babylon to Saddam and beyond. Presently we also think we can introduce additional, and perhaps more accurate, reasons for the war beyond the news media’s incessant focus on the “Search For WMD.” To give a couple of examples, during WWI the British “liberated” Iraq. The intrigue among British, French and Russian interests itself would make quite a story, but again the important thing is to show the changes which eventually led to Saddam, and then led to his demise.
To Leave or Not To Leave, That is the Question
Rather, the questions are “when to leave,” “how to leave,” and “what and who should stay behind?” We won’t try to focus here, but our sense is that the Iraqis want us gone sooner than later, yet don’t want us to go. If that sounds contradictory, it’s because it is. Many blame the CPA for the violence, the traffic, the lack of security, and believe that all will improve when we leave. They seem to think that just voting will lead to good government. In our minds they are still in the unconscious incompetent mode – they don’t know that they don’t know. The ideas of “institutions”, the rule of law and the right to vote, are not widely known. The interim constitution just signed, however, does have a bill of rights and provides that Islam can be a source of law, not the source of law.
