Steven Vincent, American Journalist Shot in Iraq
Posted by casey at August 3rd, 2005
As a journalist to risk and ultimitaly give it all, he is a true patriot. Almost predicting his future kidnapping, Steven writes in the National Review - Back in Basra, one year later, what the Iraqis are saying -
Beneath the surface, though, this is not the easy-going municipality of 1.5 million people I recall. For one thing, I can no longer wander the streets, take a cab, or dine in restaurants for fear of being spotted as a foreigner: Kidnapping, by criminal gangs or terrorists, remains a lucrative business. Instead, for safety’s sake, I’m tied to my hotel, dependent on expensive drivers, unable to go anywhere without Iraqi escort. “You really shouldn’t be here at all,” a British-embassy official warned me.
In that same piece he describes the Iraqis feelings of helplessness and anger. He paints a bleak picture of the infrastructure and rebuilding; electricity three hours on, three hours off, sewage a nightmare, water still bad, and gas lines intolerable. He relays questions about the apparent nonexistence of billions of dollars that are being spent on reconstruction efforts from a British Army translator, “Where is the money going, why is nothing happening? Tell your readers”.
Steven also maintained a blog for his book, In the Red Zone.
