DIYARBAKIR -- I'm reading reports that the U.S. assault is taking a week's pause to toughen up the supply lines to the front units as they prepare to hit Baghdad. Also, everything is bogged down thanks to problems with the Fedayeen militia and other harassing Iraqi units, that Iraqi resistance is tougher than Rumsfeld & Co. expected. Maybe these reports are true, maybe they're disinformation from the Americans in preparation of a lightning assault.
I do know this, however. In Diyarbakir, the IV Press Corps has ground to a halt.
This place is crawling with journos, all looking for the same thing: A way in. Until that can be procured, Diyarbakir has turned into a press town in a wartime economy. Tempers are flaring. An italian camera-woman berated the poor desk clerk at my hotel yesterday morning because something (I'm not sure what) wasn't cleaned in the morning.
"And I asked for it to be cleaned this morning and it wasn't!" she snapped, jabbing her finger at the clerk like it was a stiletto.
But luckily, J. and I caught up with Beth and Rita again, and this time, the conversation was much more pleasant. I also discovered that since it looks like we may be here for a few days, I need to get a Diyarbakir press credential. I had to do this last year, but the region was still under special military rule. This time, I wasn't planning on staying more than a day and I wasn't going to be working, so I didn't feel there was a need. Au contraire! If we want to travel around the region south of here, which, aside from the northern half of Kuwait, may be one of the most militarized places on the planet, we need those cards. So now, I'm waiting on a letter to be faxed from a U.S. Embassy to my hotel so I can present it along with my other bona fides. Bother.
Thus, this will be but a short update. We'll be wandering around the Old City today, although not taking pictures. Without the press cred, there's a good chance a cop will see us and make trouble for us. While it may seem cowardly, I don't want to risk that. It would be pretty stupid to have the Back to Iraq mission end early for a reason like that. Once the credentials are secured, however, we should be OK. Unfortunately, the waiting is the hardest part.
Wait away, brave venturer: the term “cowardly” does not apply to anything you’re doing - look where you are, after all. Your patience will prove wise and we will be appreciative of the continued info you provide. Onward & upward (in a thinking mode)!
Definately NOT a ruse to plot a lightning-strike. US Soldiers are on 1-ration-a-day, 70 vehicles are disabled from the Sandstorm. To attack now would be strategic suicide.
The hot story that’s developing is the rather large ‘terrorist’ training facility that’s been occupied by Coalition Forces north of Baghdad.
I hope the info that comes out of there will be worthwhile, good, bad, or otherwise.
Don’t know about the truth of the so-called deliberate ‘pause’ the Media is having a shitfit over because, “What difference does it make, exactly?” Who knows better how to conduct military ops than, well, the military? If the armored units needed to slow down and catch their
breath, well, they certainly had my permission (as if I’m important….(sic) )
Across the Theater of operations, I can assure you that there was no ‘pause’ if your an Iraqi Army grunt.
Find out from the locals about their feelings on the war and if they are hostile to the US, how can the US do more to gain Arabic support to help the Iraqi citizenry and NOT the regime.
Good Luck, keep your head down….
Don B.
Continue your good work!! I think we can say you are making history! I’ve seen a small report on your site on Canada’s french state televison.
Your are listen to.
I can’t wait for your next report ;)
Mathieu
Hey Christopher: Thanks for this blog. The best thing I like has been reading of all the little nuiances of life over there. And today the Italian jounalist blasting a clerk because of her room? Great stuff. Good luck getting into Iraq, I think, and be safe when you get there.
I linked into your blog today and enjoyed the read. I wish you luck on your journey, and I will be following your progress. I spent about 8 months in Diyarbakir well over 20 years ago. Your apt descriptions of the taxis, the shop owners, the kurdish men in their baggy pants brought it all alive for me again. It’s interesting to get a close-up commentary on the Kurdish/Turkish situation as I had been wondering about that issue. Thanks.
Around the home front here, almost a mute point to discuss anything but ditto pro war rhetoric. But my Israeli friends without exception believe that Bush/Rumsfield are staging for the mother of all wars in terrorism, ongoing opposition to US as long as there is one soldier in the mideast. TV Media and “experts” downplay this, but I believe this is close to truth. Hope you can provide first hand from your travels. and thanks
Chris, i hope that your trip works… All the news that we are watching on CNN isn´t trustful.
Good job, and good luck, man!
:-)
Bruno
Hey Chris, glad to know you are okay. And I hope all goes well. Be careful out there. There are reports that reporters are disappearing in Iraq, allegedly taken by the Iraqi Secret Police. Take care.
I for one am getting very tired of CNN. Your blog is a refreshing look at all of this. Good luck.
Chris,
Does “CNN Turk” carry the same news as CNN here or do they have their own perspective?
This article from the April 7th New Yorker is a pretty good read of the northern front region.
WAITING AT THE FRONT
by JEFFREY GOLDBERG
The mood among the Kurds is one of anticipation—and fear.
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?030407fa_fact4
The waiting is the hardest part. But every day you get one more yard. If you take it on faith or take it to the heart, you will soon learn that the waiting is the hardest part.
Don’t let it get to you babe!
BTW: You are currently at a John Reed/Winston Churchill level of war correspondents now. Amazing courage! Best of luck.
no war in iraq
that is not good
NO WAR IN IRAQ STUPID BUSH
In our present world, unbiased information is an endangered species… We are lucky to have a champion such as you…
Best of luck!
Your blogs are a welcome perspective from the obviously slanted (financialy subsidized?) coverage from CNN. I look forward to your updates.
Be careful- your voice is one that we can’t afford to lose.
John
Yay Chris! Just finished a post on Germany (and the views of some Turks here) on my site, so what you’re saying from Turkey is very relevant and interesting. Keep up the good work, and if you’re bogged down there in Diyarbakir, tell us as much as possible about what’s going in Turkey until you get across the border. Look into the Turkish/Kurdish problems. Ask someone from the PKK (if you can find anyone) what they think about Turkish troop movements. It could very well be that the Turkish thing is the next big story once the war’s over.
Your idea is an admirable and original one. As everyone’s said, please take care, keep your head down and your eyes open. We need your independant insight, now more than ever.
I’m a photographer, and damn I wish I was there with you! Would you like to loan me $5,000?
I’m sitting here comfortably in my New York City office, after just having read “The Hobbit” again after many years and I wonder when my adventure is going to begin. When will I have -as the greeks call “thrussles” - to begin an adventure like little Bilbo and lest we forget Christopher. In many ways I’m excited for you, wish you prayers in dark times and sit in anticipation of the next chapter. Choose life over risk, my friend - Err to the side of caution.
Keep your precious ring close. :)
Iraqis are not assisting in Southern Iraq by pointing out Ba’athists and pointing hideouts, weapons caches and HQ’s. I believe there was a trust issue at first, but Shi’ites seem to be realizing this is the real deal.
not = now
My god! In speech after speech, address after address, and briefing after briefing, starting well before the first tomahawk flew and consistently to this day, everyone associated with prosecuting this war has said that it may be a long, tough fight. No one ever claimed otherwise.
Some overanxious and/or clueless members of the press keep holding up ONE taken-out-of-context quote from the VP and screaming, “See! The sky IS falling.” This is ridiculous. How can these people live with themselves? How can they keep ignoring the dozens of cautionary statements by so many other government and military leaders?
It truly seems that they want so badly for the war to go wrong they conjure up delusions of disaster and report them as facts.
Please reporters: Just the facts.
Fact: This war is ONLY 10 DAYS OLD! Even in the famous VP misquote that is always used by the baffling “Chicken Littles” in the press, he said optimistically the war could be over in a matter of weeks. Weeks. Plural. We have only just started the second week.
Most of the mainstream press is reporting as though we’ve been fighting for years. Comparisons to Viet Nam? Outrageous! 10 days! To be fair, I will listen to Viet Nam comparisons when this war is still going 1500 days from now and the administration has turned over at least once.
Why do they crave controversy?
We have hundreds of thousands of troops in harm’s way in Iraq and a couple hundred million people who care deeply about them here at Home. Every fantasized snafu that is reported as fact by controversy mongering, weasel reporters disrespect us all. This is real. Real men and women have died and will continue to die. They are giving all they have to give, their lives, for the cause of freedom! Freedom is sacred, but it is not free. It is bought with the lives of patriots. The shameful so-called, “reporting,” by so many in the mainstream media ignores the ultimate sacrifice made by our patriots.
Members of the press: STOP ABUSING YOUR FREEDOM!
You are yelling, “Fire!” in a crowded theater where no fire exits.
I’m a stranger that’s been on & off reading your posts. The cynic I am didn’t think you’d make it but looks like you are. Congratulations to you and the donors to your cause. Nothing is impossible. Neato! I look forward to reading of your adventures!
I watch closely events in Iraq and I do not understand those Americans which so silly believe all words of the president, that the American army conducts emancipating war, these are nonsenses they simply kill women and children for the sake of oil, understand it there will be the second Vietnam and you “liberators” will be killed as pigs I not against America, I against your blind belief that by you a superstate, I Russian and live in Russia and all Russia supports Iraq people, you Americans will be defeated.
hey there. i really enjoy reading your blog, its so good to have some first-person view on this whole conflict, instead of the BBC or CNN picture overkill. i remembered your answer to aykut the other day, if the war goes bad for bush - many people will loose their lives. then i read an article in the UK sunday times which really scared me, especially this: “The Iraqis are sick people and we are the chemotherapy,” said Corporal Ryan Dupre. “I am starting to hate this country. Wait till I get hold of a friggin’ Iraqi. No, I won’t get hold of one. I’ll just kill him.”
US Marines Turn Fire on Civilians at the Bridge of Death
i hope this war won’t become another nicaragua or el salvador. but i guess the longer this takes the bigger the face of evil gets. well sure it will course its the axis of evil…
good luck on your mission, reminds me of indiana jones sometimes, i’m looking forward to read your next posts!
Dave - I totally agree with you. The cable channels have turned this war reporting into entertainment or soap-opera like serials. For too long the media has been trying to drive the news. I wish they would back off a bit and calm down.
I watch closely events in Iraq and I do not understand those Americans which so silly believe all words of the president, that the American army conducts emancipating war, these are nonsenses they simply kill women and children for the sake of oil, understand it there will be the second Vietnam and you “liberators” will be killed as pigs I not against America, I against your blind belief that by you a superstate, I Russian and live in Russia and all Russia supports Iraq people, you Americans will be defeated.
Buzz! Wrong! This is not Vietnam people! They said that Gulf War I would be another “Vietnam” and that it was for oil…and was it? No way! America is a superpower, and it will not accept defeat. Slowly, the resistance in the south is waning, as some of the people there are pointing out and helping in the search for these cowards who support a doomed regime. Everyone outside the U.S. wants the U.S. to lose this war and there be some in this country who wants us to lose, but that is not going to happen.
U.S. Soldiers Save Elderly Woman On Bridge While Under Fire!!
This really is such a great idea chris- and maybe the may that jornaism is headed in the future in light of the dismal offerings of the mainstream media, then beond that even the [url=http://www.islamonline.net/english/Views/2003/03/article16.shtml]censorship[/url] of it.
This really is such a great idea chris- and maybe the may that jornaism is headed in the future in light of the dismal offerings of the mainstream media, then beond that even the [url=http://www.islamonline.net/english/Views/2003/03/article16.shtml]censorship[/url] of it.