Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Citizen Journalists

[posted by Callimachus]

They are the few who are out there doing real work -- stories and pictures you won't see on MSM, for some reason -- that justify the rest of us bloggers sitting on our asses and bloviating. Stories well-told, with real people in them, flush with life and opinions. When I read an AP story on the war the strongest impression of a person I come away from it with is the reporter.

Michael J. Totten in southern Lebanon:

“Since 1975 we have been fighting for the free world,” Said said. “We are on the front lines. Why doesn’t the West understand this? America can withdraw from Iraq, you can go back to Oregon, but we are stuck here. We have to stay and live with what happens.”

Bill Roggio in Iraq:

"A lot of (those who plant IED's) are poor farmers who have no money. Some just drop them off on their way to work. A local insurgent leader or ringleader will say 'hey, here's $5 to drop an IED against the Americans," sometimes more if they video them dropping it. It's also almost like a rite to manhood out here. We're getting kids, like 18 and 19 years-old that are trying to look like men, get that symbol of manhood and establish themselves as local leaders in the community. And what's the best way to do that? It's to fight the infidels."

UPDATE: Bill Ardolino on that INDC Journal post, not Bill Roggio. My bad! I never was good at Bills; it's why my wife keeps the checkbook.

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