Posted on 01/21/2008 8:11:20 PM PST by vwatto
Journalists return from Iraq with a positive message
Two Minnesota journalists are back on American soil, sharing the lives of soldiers in Iraq.
For two weeks, John Camp and Eric Bowen were embedded with a Minnesota National Guard Unit.
What the two men found were the kind of stories that are rarely told in newspapers and on television.
They’ve brought 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS a look at U.S. Blackhawk combat missions, piloted entirely by women from Minnesota and have shown viewers what happens to the care packages that people send to the troops.
"I wasn't frightened, I was more excited than anything," said Camp.
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist John Camp went to Iraq to see what members of the Minnesota National Guard are doing. He found no shortage of stories.
"The American presence there just seems huge. It seems like we're getting ready to stay there for a very long time," he said.
Camp said he witnessed construction workers, plumbers, and truck drivers working in harmony with American soldiers.
While most reports focus on high-level war strategy and politics, Camp said American should hear more about the word of individuals.
"You having a feeling that a good part of the story in Iraq just isn't being written," Camp said.
This was the second trip to Iraq for freelance photographer, Eric Bowen.
"February of last year, if you asked someone if we're winning the war, they'd roll their eyes, and go yeah, right. You go this year, and people actually say, yeah, we're actually making great progress," Bowen said.
Bowen and Camp hope they brought a fresh look at Minnesotans in Iraq.
"I would like to go back and write at that level that's under the rank of colonel. It just hasn't been reported, it's kind of shocking when you see it," Camp said.
In the days ahead, Camp will share more of his stories from Iraq on MinnPost.com.
And John Camp (John Sanford in his nonfiction personna) is a bleeping liberal!
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I meant FICTION personna not non-fiction, obviously. (sheesh) Camp (Sanford) is also a popular and prolific author of fiction.
Embedding reporters works wonders.
Once you’re dodging fire with the troops, you begin to understand who they are and what they are doing.
It is much easier to maintain a snide distance while reporting from a hotel bar in the Green Zone.
They’ll never make it to the D.C. Press Corps.
This is his chance to be a second Ernie Pyle. I wish him luck.
Nice to see a little ray of sunshine in their otherwise bleak portrayal of the war.
That’s great to hear.
Thanks for posting that.
“While most reports focus on high-level war strategy and politics, Camp said American should hear more about the word of individuals”
Huh?? Only reports I have seen in MPLS begin like: Sad news for Woodville Township, in Rural Minnesota, Lance Corporal John Q Public was among 3 soldiers involved in an IED atack...
I have never seen ANY MENTION of high-level war strategy, or even a semblance of Iraq politics as part of a local MN TV news “show”.
None. Just who died, and what the tally is. Strong work, local MSM. Strong work.
It seems like we’re getting ready to stay there for a very long time
Democrats continue to say they will get us out if elected to the Presidency, don’t dare tell the truth or their delegates would dump them.
write at that level that’s under the rank of colonel. It just hasn’t been reported, it’s kind of shocking when you see it,” Camp said
2 ways to see it, but don’t mention it to Democrats,
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=1&id=4&Itemid=21
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=1&id=50&Itemid=130
Second link is the News by Air Force Personnel, mandatory to view at least latest link for our Troops sake, they have put a lot of work into the mission.
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