Embbedded journalist barred from Iraq

## Embbedded journalist barred from Iraq *July 9th, 2008* [*](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/2008/06/iraq-warphotgra.html) © zoriah/www.zoriah.com* [Zoriah](https://zoriah.net/) has a gift for photography. I first came across his work last night, and immediately felt the impact. But even before I was moved by his images, I was blown away by [his story](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/2008/07/zoriah-clarific.html). As an embedded journalist in Iraq, Zoriah has been traveling with the multi-national forces and covering the occupation first-hand. On June 26 he [witnessed the immediate aftermath of a suicide bombing](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/suicide-bombing-in-anbar-.html) that left several dozen people dead. Zoriah writes: We are searching homes for weapons and information regarding Al Qaeda in Iraq, when a message comes over the radio. “We have one killed in actions (KIA), and two wounded in action (WIA)…” We grab our gear, throwing on our body armor, Kevlar helmets, gloves, goggles, and other proactive gear as we run out of the house… I have nearly 70lbs. (31kg.) of equipment strapped to my body and, although I am in good physical shape, I feel the heat burning my lungs every time I inhale. We see people running down the street in panic. The soldier who is running next to me glances onto the pavement at the same time as I do. There is an ear on the ground. About five feet away, we see a chunk of scalp with hair on a palm sized piece of skull. We look at each other, realizing that we are walking into true madness …and this is just the beginning. During the next few minutes, Zoriah documents the carnage snapping as quickly as he can. Before long he is ordered out of the area, but not before capturing at least two images of a Marine that had been killed in the attack. On June 30, several days after the attack, Zoriah uploads his images and his account of the event to his blog. By July 1, he had been removed from his assignment by the US Marine Corps: 1 July, 2008: The U.S. Marine Corps terminated my embed because they claimed I broke a rule by posting images to my blog that depicted killed or injured Marines. By the time they realized that was not actually a rule, I had already been pulled away from my Platoon in Garma/Karmah. [*](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/2008/06/iraq-war-diar-7.html) © zoriah/www.zoriah.com* Zoriah has provided a PDF of the [Media Hold Harmless Agreement](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/files/media_hold_harmless_ground_rules_updated_1feb08.pdf) he signed before reporting as an embed. In the contract, it states the media will be allowed to photograph US casualties provided that certain conditions are met, and I do not see any evidence that Zoriah violated those policies. (11) Media will not be prohibited from covering casualties provided the following conditions are adhered to: (a) Names, video, identifiable written/oral descriptions or identifiable photographs of wounded service members will not be released without the service member’s prior written consent. If the service member later becomes a KIA, Rule 11(b) applies. (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. At this point in time, it is unclear whether he will be able to resume documenting the war as an embedded journalist. Zoriah has indicated that he would likely be unable to cover the war as freelance journalist if he is denied the opportunity to continue his embed work. I have referred Zoriah to the [The First Amendment Project](https://thefirstamendment.org/) (FAP), a team of lawyers who provided extraordinary pro-bono legal support for me after [I found myself incarcerated for civil-contempt](https://joshwolf.net/blog/?p=230) in 2006. I do not know at this time whether Zoriah has a potential suit or if he will be seeking representation from FAP. [*](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/2008/06/iraq-war-photog.html) © zoriah/www.zoriah.com* Not surprisingly, Zoriah’s blog has quickly been populated with comments spanning a gambit of opinions. Some support his decision to publish the photographs, and his refusal to remove them. Other’s respectfully disagree and still others have unleashed a poisonous venom so dark you’d think that Zoriah was the bomber who killed the Marines. Many of the comments suggest that Zoriah is not a “real journalist.” Reading the feedback on his site, I was reminded of some of the very comments that appeared on my own blog while incarcerated. In both situations, the response was mixed and our status as “journalists” was called into question. At an automotive repair shop, I told the manager about Zoriah and his first reaction was that it was wrong for him to publish the images of the Marines. He became defensive and his American pride began to rise to the surface. After I asked him why photos of dead Iraqis is any different he stopped, really began to think, and the defenses melted away. We had a long conversation, and were both able to look at the situation from a number of perspectives. I think that if those who are leaving critical comments had a chance to look Zoriah in the eye and talk to him about why he did what he did, they too would grow to understand his perspective. That’s the problem. [*](https://www.zoriah.net/blog/2008/07/zoriah-embed-te.html) © zoriah/www.zoriah.com* For many people, Zoriah and his blog are not *real*. They are part of the virtual world that can include radio, television and the internet. For these people, rather than inspiring critical thinking, the media provokes a reaction, and reactions are rarely well reasoned. Of course, identifying the problem is only the first step, and this is just one many problems, but what solutions to this particular issue are out there? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment. Entry Filed under: [Commentary](https://joshwolf.net/blog/?cat=6), [Reportage](https://joshwolf.net/blog/?cat=5)