Bryan, thank you.
NYT, it's journalism like this that sets the Gray Lady apart from the rest and why I consider it a privilege to be a subscriber.
NYT, it's journalism like this that sets the Gray Lady apart from the rest and why I consider it a privilege to be a subscriber.
8
How absolutely horrific! You are an extraordinary photographer and your courage is astounding. Journalism is rarely seen from such a personal perspective. Thank you for sharing your story, and may you have a quick recovery.
5
"...After a long day in a convoy near Mosul, it seemed safe for a New York Times photographer..."
Seriously?
Seriously?
There was no ISIS before Obama took office in 2009 and appointed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Now ISIS is on the run . It is gaining a stronghold in South Asia in Afghanistan and Pakistan and also in the west in Paris, Brussels, Nice, NY, Orlando, San Bernadino. ISIS has butchered and beheaded thousands of men and raped, murdered and tortured women and all the media in the USA has to focus on is a single issue and allegations of a presidential candidate who has never held elected office and never done anything illegal. Where is the outrage about the destruction of the homelands of the Syrians, Libyans, Yemenese women, men and children of the Muslim and Christian faith and their untold and unending misery and the impotence of the countries who supplied arms for achieving the destruction and devastation in these countries??? Has anyone thought about the aftermath of the conflict to retake Mosul and where the fleeing ISIS combatants are going to setup shop?
"These men put their lives on the line every day ..."
that's it...and that, for all the blather and perfunctory "thank you for your service"...no body who hasn't been in it gets it...it's one thing to send troops into harm's way (which includes the little noticed responsibilty of killing other humans) when goals are clear and tactics (thought kept secret) are appropriate to those goal...it's another (the bush-cheney and later obama clinton disaster being the best example we have in living history) to put troops into the field with no strategic clarity or tactical consistency....just go in there and kills the bad guys...where and when they make themselves known and stay alert, they may fail to cooperate but we aren't staffed to watch that, so you're on your own.
that's it...and that, for all the blather and perfunctory "thank you for your service"...no body who hasn't been in it gets it...it's one thing to send troops into harm's way (which includes the little noticed responsibilty of killing other humans) when goals are clear and tactics (thought kept secret) are appropriate to those goal...it's another (the bush-cheney and later obama clinton disaster being the best example we have in living history) to put troops into the field with no strategic clarity or tactical consistency....just go in there and kills the bad guys...where and when they make themselves known and stay alert, they may fail to cooperate but we aren't staffed to watch that, so you're on your own.
How many times we are going to listen about the same rhetoric of siege be it Leningrad, St Petersburgh, Sarajevo, Grozny, Sana, Beirut, Grozny, Fallugah, Ramadi, Gaza, Alepppo, Homas, Huma, Raqqah, and Mosul now. We can always be duped and we have never learned from past!!!
Ironical; isn't it!!
Ironical; isn't it!!
2
Amazing photos! You are brave and we are grateful that you bring this information to us. Our news media have treated this battle as a secondary issue -- CNN spends more time on Hillary's private emails and Trump's crazy tweets than on this critical battle. And yet the cable news and talk radio all love to use ISIS to scare Americans. Where has sanity gone? Thank you, NY Times, and thank you, Bryan Denton. Be safe!
5
This is incredible. I feel admiration for the Iraqi soldiers who are fighting for their country. They have the look of professionals, and know it is a fight to the death. What great journalism, bringing us close to the people who until now were faceless, but now are human.
5
We know the geography well at this point, but to see brave Iraqi soldiers lumbering across a wide open desert knowing the enemy is waiting for them is something else entirely. No trees or dark of night for cover.
I believe these citizens want their country back. It's an important story to witness.
I believe these citizens want their country back. It's an important story to witness.
4
The only thing nice about this war, as opposed to others, is that we don't have see so many beautiful trees get destroyed like we did in Vietnam.
i wonder about your reporter. will he suffer from ptsd, and will his family suffer? what about preparing your combat reporters by putting them through at least some basic training in the us army? [i went through this in 1964 at fort dix; it's not very drastic or very long.] does denton get proper combat gear and a rifle from nyt? i hope so. he seems awfully, dreadfully exposed. are the editors concerned about how he will handle traumatizing situations like this? will the times keep its readers abreast of what happens to this guy?
1
It takes incredible bravery to bring a story like this home to us. The photographs are sensational and make me feel like I am with the author/photographer. I can't imagine on any level what it must be like to witness such madness. It's very sad that the horrors of fighting continue. Thank-you for opening my eyes. Stay safe.
3
Men called to combat. A particular kind of man. Warriors, all. Look into their faces and see the souls of men who've taken on the very weight of the world. They have inevitably come to terms with the prospect of death. Not a death wish but just the truth known to the core. Throughout the history of humanity men such as these have issued forth from every culture to defend and fight for those who call them forth. We are grateful. We will, rightly, discuss the Bush treachery and the folly that ensued, for years to come. But these men and their brothers will always know their truth. They know who they are.
1
Thank you, Mr. Denton. What amazing photos and reporting! The article really brings home the difficulties of what can look from this distance like a straightforward task. Though I know enough to know that war is destructive, difficult, and frightening, news reports sometimes seem to suggest that ISIS would simply abandon its position and be driven out. It seems that they are actually going full bore to not only defend their position, but to also take out as many of their opponents, Iraqi & American, as they can. Your courage and determination are vital to helping the rest of us really understand. Thank you.
This is why it's so offensive when politicians complain about "the media." At the same time, it's also offensive when "aggregators" of Internet content steal someone else's work, slap their byline on it, and call themselves "reporters."
Mr. Denton, best of luck.
And for the rest of you, remember that our allies, even if they aren't American news photographers, bleed and suffer just the same. So do our enemies, but we want them to bleed and suffer, and then die.
Mr. Denton, best of luck.
And for the rest of you, remember that our allies, even if they aren't American news photographers, bleed and suffer just the same. So do our enemies, but we want them to bleed and suffer, and then die.
2
Seeing this warfare leaves me feeling gratitude to Bryan Denton and the other brave journalists covering this war, as well as to our soldiers and our allies in this fight. So glad Bryan Denton survived. Be safe, Bryan!
This war causes so many thoughts to flood into my head (most of them anger at Bush the Second for fraudulently starting this terrible war) that I feel the two predominant ones are just random, but here goes:
1. Can we really not get a helmet for all of our allied soldiers? I know four-year-olds riding bikes on suburban streets who take more safety precautions. (There must be some explanation for the lack of helmets, but it is hard to imagine that it is sensible.)
2. The U.S. damn well better stand by the Kurds in their struggle for independence because they have been our toughest allies for a long, long time in extremely dirty conflict. We abandoned them under Reagan, and again under Bush the First. It's time we did right by these people and helped them achieve independent nation status so they are not subjected to nationalistic tyranny again! P.S. Let's not let the Turks' demands cause us to forsake the Kurds again. I believe smart diplomacy can make it happen.
This war causes so many thoughts to flood into my head (most of them anger at Bush the Second for fraudulently starting this terrible war) that I feel the two predominant ones are just random, but here goes:
1. Can we really not get a helmet for all of our allied soldiers? I know four-year-olds riding bikes on suburban streets who take more safety precautions. (There must be some explanation for the lack of helmets, but it is hard to imagine that it is sensible.)
2. The U.S. damn well better stand by the Kurds in their struggle for independence because they have been our toughest allies for a long, long time in extremely dirty conflict. We abandoned them under Reagan, and again under Bush the First. It's time we did right by these people and helped them achieve independent nation status so they are not subjected to nationalistic tyranny again! P.S. Let's not let the Turks' demands cause us to forsake the Kurds again. I believe smart diplomacy can make it happen.
4
I watched the war in Vietnam on tv when I was young and became anti-war.
The soldiers kept re-taking the same sites over & over. We left Iraq, it was overrun by isis, and we are now once again trying to re-take territories and drive them out. I know we have to fight isis but I'm afraid in the end we will have learned the same lessons. I admire the journalists & photographers who put their lives on the line to keep us informed.
The soldiers kept re-taking the same sites over & over. We left Iraq, it was overrun by isis, and we are now once again trying to re-take territories and drive them out. I know we have to fight isis but I'm afraid in the end we will have learned the same lessons. I admire the journalists & photographers who put their lives on the line to keep us informed.
Bryan Denton is brave and I appreciate this on-the-ground reporting. It is too rare. However, the Iraqi men fighting ISIS are beyond courageous.
2
Yes. That's my one complaint about this story: It's about Bryan Denton, not the other men, and it's my own fault because I know I wouldn't click on a link that stated "Iraqi Soldiers Killed by Car Bomb During Advance on Mosul." Neither would anyone else reading this comment.
Us Americans are such jerks sometimes. But we're still (mostly) right about how to live. Thank goodness I was born in Manhattan and not Mosul.
Us Americans are such jerks sometimes. But we're still (mostly) right about how to live. Thank goodness I was born in Manhattan and not Mosul.
Whoa... bravo! It doesn't get more real than this.
2
Thank you for writing this. I am glad you survived to tell the story.
This is a day in the life... the real life of soldiers and journalists in the modern war zone. This is not "Rah Rah" Support The Troops glamorous: it's grim and ugly, and tedious - because this same routine goes on and on, as does the danger.
Trump says, "I love war" - and his fans love it and cheer. Why? Trump hasn't got a wisp of a clue about any of this! Current evidence leans towards the sad fact that he probably can't find Iraq on a map. We need a President who knows that war is not fun, and is a high risk roulette exercise at best, with the odds against you almost all the time. That is not Trump. We can't even be sure Trump could greet the Fallen on their arrival back home, without making it all about himself, or one of his hotels. He even thinks nuclear war is entirely viable! He is not alone in his war lust. Many GOTP candidates openly mused which country they would go to war with "on day one of my Administration" - and most on the Right saw nothing wrong with it.
It's past time for an article like this to be published again in the NYT. Sadly, this sequence of events leading up to a car bomb has happened so many times before. It's resulted in troops coming home in grey caskets or strapped to gurneys with tubes coming out all over, and a shattered life to rebuild. We need to remember... all of us. This is what our troops face when they go on a Mideast tour. It's why we should cherish them.
This is a day in the life... the real life of soldiers and journalists in the modern war zone. This is not "Rah Rah" Support The Troops glamorous: it's grim and ugly, and tedious - because this same routine goes on and on, as does the danger.
Trump says, "I love war" - and his fans love it and cheer. Why? Trump hasn't got a wisp of a clue about any of this! Current evidence leans towards the sad fact that he probably can't find Iraq on a map. We need a President who knows that war is not fun, and is a high risk roulette exercise at best, with the odds against you almost all the time. That is not Trump. We can't even be sure Trump could greet the Fallen on their arrival back home, without making it all about himself, or one of his hotels. He even thinks nuclear war is entirely viable! He is not alone in his war lust. Many GOTP candidates openly mused which country they would go to war with "on day one of my Administration" - and most on the Right saw nothing wrong with it.
It's past time for an article like this to be published again in the NYT. Sadly, this sequence of events leading up to a car bomb has happened so many times before. It's resulted in troops coming home in grey caskets or strapped to gurneys with tubes coming out all over, and a shattered life to rebuild. We need to remember... all of us. This is what our troops face when they go on a Mideast tour. It's why we should cherish them.
4
Its hard to thank you enough, Mr. Denton, for your bravery in bringing the war into focus us. Our democracy could not survive without photographers and reporters like you.
All the best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
All the best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
12
Thank you NYT, this is real journalism. This is another good reason why I pay to read this newspaper online. Journalists like Denton probably will never get paid enough for what they do and the risks they take.
Thanks.
Anne, MA.
Thanks.
Anne, MA.
11
Incredible and courageous! I know that Bartella is a predominantly Christianity and I wonder how they survived ISIS.
4
I'm looking at the article thinking I'm glad you survived but wondering if any of the jeeps and other ordinance were paid for by anyone other than those of us who pay USA taxes. The money trail is the real pulse I think of this story.
Again, glad you survived and stay safe.
Again, glad you survived and stay safe.
2
Bryan Denton's photographs offer a visceral illustration of the experience of combat. Please be safe, Mr. Denton.
7
Vivid and powerful capture of real time events and how life life hangs in the balance against enemy lines. The scenes are almost surreal! The story also helps to convey the risk and valor Iraqi soldiers are undertaking in this march against Isis. Some focus on their suffering would have made the piece even more compelling and evocative!
5
We need more of these kinds of stories -- first-person narratives with images from the frontlines of the action -- so people who have no immediate connection to what is going on in the Middle East, and everywhere there is armed conflict or war, can get a glimpse of what is truly happening. So may people, such as myself, have no connection to Iraq or Afghanistan, and articles like this bring home what it's really like. Thank you and stay safe!
6
I haven't read all the comments - and I agree with all I read about Mr. Denton's bravery and the horrific danger "our" people are encountering, the egregious build up to US involvement in Iraq, etc. - but it also strikes me no one has commented on the extraordinary beauty and in many ways timelessness of Mr. Denton's images, as a professional photographer, a journalist, and a humanitarian. As an avid aspiring "street" photographer I can hardly imagine having the sensibility, presence of mind, and reflexes to capture such stunning and remarkable images that help us understand and to some small degree experience what the people who are there are living through. The narrative is of course enlightening, but every one of the photos tells a story surely worth more than a thousand words. With deep thanks to Mr. Denton for putting his life on the line for this assignment, and the Times for featuring it so prominantly.
11
Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March, 2003. October, 2016 and the US is still fighting there. The president says there are 5,000 pairs of US boots on the ground, of course that does not include contractors. How many more boots? 10,000? 100,000? When does it stop? When do the 'good guys' win?
Does it stop when everyone is bankrupt?
Will the good guys ever win? Are there any good guys or it all a charade, media facade erected upon an armature of unenlightened self-interest? Eisenhower warned about the Military Industrial Complex he just left out the details.
Iraq war: 4,491 Americans dead, the cost = $2 trillion down the drain for nothing, ethically and intellectually bankrupt already.
Does it stop when everyone is bankrupt?
Will the good guys ever win? Are there any good guys or it all a charade, media facade erected upon an armature of unenlightened self-interest? Eisenhower warned about the Military Industrial Complex he just left out the details.
Iraq war: 4,491 Americans dead, the cost = $2 trillion down the drain for nothing, ethically and intellectually bankrupt already.
8
What are you going to do about it?
And the point of all this is? Anyone name one religio nationalist moment that has been successfully military defeated (without killing everyone a la the Roman Empire)? You can't kill an idea you can only render it obsolete by other means.
5
I can't thank you enough for your dedicated journalism Bryan. This has helped me see past the headlines and try to place my mind as to the great risks yourself and the Iraqi soldiers take.
3
Wow! Welcome to tomorrow's journalism! Thank you, reporters, photographers, and soldiers of the Iraqi army.
4
Reality of the battlefield is transferred to readers like myself through your articles. Stay safe and get better soon!
3
Every single time I read about the Middle East, it is through the lens of American lives lost, rarely a mention of the many civilians killed and displaced. If democracy truly works the way the founding fathers intended for it, then it is time to find a legal way to hold the Bush/Cheney regime accountable for the deaths of the Americans, the Iraquis, the Syrians. ISIS and Al Qaeda are the same in that they both grew out of anger at the US...not anger at Americans, but anger at US governmental policies. Millions of Syrian kids are refugees in the EU. What about Cheney's kids?
7
These are incredibly brave people, be they Kurds, Iraqi Sunni or Shia, Iranian, U.S., European, Turks and yes IS. I hate the fact that humans have to do this to each other. Risk and/or give up their lives for war. I just hope it ends up being worth it to the poor civilians.
3
We sit in our nice little homes and offices, warm in winter and cold in summer, going out to dinner every so often, while these young men fight for their lives and for us in a country filled with sand and bombs. We understand the severity of ISIS and its threat upon the world, but we have NO idea what that must feel like in reality. We can only understand through articles such as this one. Thank you all of our fighters and journalists for keeping us safe through your sacrifices.
At home our only danger is the blather of Donald Trump and his silky lies and meaningless deceptions. Your story tells the sad and harsh reality of war, his continual verbiage tells us nothing concrete or viable.
At home our only danger is the blather of Donald Trump and his silky lies and meaningless deceptions. Your story tells the sad and harsh reality of war, his continual verbiage tells us nothing concrete or viable.
5
Tremendous writing, and your specialty is photography. You are truly multitalented, as well as brave. I an very glad that your innjury was not more severe.
7
Why are none of the soldiers wearing helmets ?
5
What incredible photos! This is a great story. Thanks so much for sharing it -- though please try to stay safe!
4
Great writing, depth, pacing etc. This is why I pay to subscribe.
5
Wow. Thank you for writing this. I'm glad you are well.
2
Many of our fellow readers seem to be misinformed. Or uninformed.
US soldiers are most certainly involved in the present battle for Mosul.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/world/middleeast/us-iraq-mosul.html
The writer didn't mention this. Maybe they weren't part of the story. Maybe he's been told not to write about it. But.. our guys are fighting there. Not to mention our weapons, vehicles (on both sides) and money.
If you were a parent in Mosul would you rather live under ISIS control or that you or your children be killed by an American bomb dropped on your house by people trying to "free" you?
4
This is real valiance by the reporter doing this so we can stay informed. I appreciate his work, and of course the work of the Iraqi forces he is accompanying. ISIS is among the most evil organizations ever to be on earth. Putting them down is a must.
6
It's oft been said that Truth is First Casualty of War.
Without brave people like Mr. Denton who are willing to go into harm's way to report on what is happening we are left only with what the opposing sides are willing to tell us about what has and is happening. This is one reason why journalists like NY Times reporters who are willing to go into the conflicts and tell the story are providing a great service to the world at great risk to themselves. We appreciate all that you have done Mr. Denton.
Without brave people like Mr. Denton who are willing to go into harm's way to report on what is happening we are left only with what the opposing sides are willing to tell us about what has and is happening. This is one reason why journalists like NY Times reporters who are willing to go into the conflicts and tell the story are providing a great service to the world at great risk to themselves. We appreciate all that you have done Mr. Denton.
8
a real moment of war.
1
The shrapnel could have found the author's carotid or larynx, with possibly more dire consequences.
Now the wounded are loaded onto a HMMV... and sent back down the IED laden road lined with suicide bombers and various shooters? (wouldn't call them snipers, or even sharpshooters) I'd be more concerned about the return trip...
Now the wounded are loaded onto a HMMV... and sent back down the IED laden road lined with suicide bombers and various shooters? (wouldn't call them snipers, or even sharpshooters) I'd be more concerned about the return trip...
2
Well, great footage of the bomb, unbelievable photographs, but I agree with others, taking a step back (or run like hell) may save your life .... and others. NYTimes leaves me on the edge with their journalism and photography of war times, as well as other topics. The edge is not what I need, as I don't need to watch someone's life on the edge. Dude, get a life Please! I don't wish to hear of another photographer dying out of duty or fascination with violence. Period.
2
"Dude Get A Life PLEASE" is a curiously condescending comment considering Mr. Denton not only excels at his craft, but has quite a life--married to the talented WSJ correspondent Maria al Habib, and the father of a young son. That he risks his life to tell these stories not only puts him in a great journalistic tradition, but also shapes our understanding of events around the world. You conclude that he is motivated by a fascination with violence; but examining his photos over the years, I would propose he is compelled a deep humanistic impulse, the need to tell a story, and the desire to understand peoples and cultures that are far removed from our experience yet vitally important to our future.
Out of curiosity, does the second image from the top (the one described as "Iraqi artillery targeted an Islamic State-held village") depict the use of cluster bomb munitions or simply a bomblet-based smokescreen?
They can look similar at a glance, but the ethical and practical implications of the former is far more severe than the latter.
They can look similar at a glance, but the ethical and practical implications of the former is far more severe than the latter.
This is fascinating
There is a bleak and hair-raising beauty in these photographs. As the nightly CBS reports from the Vietnam battlefield did, the pictures and story here reinforce a bitter anger, here about a manufactured ''enemy'' that can take backyard junk to collapse a system of billion dollar military equipment in Joe Freedom Fighter's hands creating a demand for more military budget and manufacturing.
The whole thing reminds me of yesterday's video game, jacked into a compact, reliable system we produce over and over, our gamepad held tightly in hands that only break away to snatch the bloodied cash at our feet.
The whole thing reminds me of yesterday's video game, jacked into a compact, reliable system we produce over and over, our gamepad held tightly in hands that only break away to snatch the bloodied cash at our feet.
2
Mr. Denton has upheld the tradition of the great war photographers, especially Robert Capa (Paraphrasing: "If your photos are no good, you're not close enough...."). Great journalism because it reveals what we have wrought....
8
What about the innocent civilians in the hamlets? Where is the body armor to protect them? Where are the vehicles to rush them to hospitals with doctors and X-ray machines to inspect their injuries? You may be brave, sir, but you can leave at will.
2
Very grateful for Bryan and other journalists' front-line reporting and even more grateful to hear he is doing fine. THANK YOU.
11
Your courage and your nerve are undeniable, but I think you need to step back and think about what you are accomplishing here. Front-line photojournalism can play a vital role in bringing back the reality of conflicts that have strong public support but that is not needed here. We all know the reality is atrocious beyond imagination. It seems to me the only goal here is sensationalism for a voyeuristic audience. Meanwhile, as a non-combatant non-asset, you are not only risking your own life, you are adding liability to the ground forces you are embedded with. Moreover, image and footage like this serve to enlarge the media presence of ISIL and strengthen their reputation amongst potential recruits. Lastly, wounding or killing a U.S. journalist will be valuable propaganda for ISIL. This is an uncommon war and where need to rethink the value of front-line photojournalists. I think it's best to let the Iraqis first clean up the mess we have made and stay safely behind the lines until you no longer represent a liability to the Iraqis or an asset to ISIL. I say that with all due respect.
20
Well, Kevin, you've hit the nail right on the head. Glad to see some fellow citizens are not as blind as officialdom wants us to believe! Let's face it, my friend, we've created these militant groups one way or the other due to our outrageous imperialistic policies in the whole Middle East and other parts of this unsettled world of ours. The North-American people better wake up before it's too late. Such wars only benefit one segment of our capitalist society: the corporate-military-industrial complex. Just check into the late Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell speech. Enough said already.
6
Firstly, very glad you survived relatively unharmed. Hopefully others too will have similar luck in the days and weeks to come as the operation to evict ISIS finishes its mission.
"It was hard not to think about what could have happened, though. Even a slightly worse alternative would have changed everything: If the shrapnel had hit just an inch to the left, I could have lost my right hand, or the use of it."
Eventually, one hopes you will add this approach too to the above sentiment:
"It was hard no to think about what could have happened, though. Even a slightly better alternative would have changed everything: If the shrapnel had hit just an few inches to other side, I would have been unscathed." I offer this not to be a wiseguy, but to remind all of us that random events are random, they can be worse, for sure, but they also can be better. If we can embrace that understanding, that reality, soon there will be a lot less violence and killing. Or it could be worse and there could be endless violence and killing. :)
"It was hard not to think about what could have happened, though. Even a slightly worse alternative would have changed everything: If the shrapnel had hit just an inch to the left, I could have lost my right hand, or the use of it."
Eventually, one hopes you will add this approach too to the above sentiment:
"It was hard no to think about what could have happened, though. Even a slightly better alternative would have changed everything: If the shrapnel had hit just an few inches to other side, I would have been unscathed." I offer this not to be a wiseguy, but to remind all of us that random events are random, they can be worse, for sure, but they also can be better. If we can embrace that understanding, that reality, soon there will be a lot less violence and killing. Or it could be worse and there could be endless violence and killing. :)
2
The right people will never take the right lesson from it...but this story is a good example of what can result from “shaking things up.” Wasn’t that part of the rationale, if you can call it that, for starting the war in Iraq? Just throw the whole chess board up in the air, sit back, and watch democracy take root?
Yet here we are over 13 years later with people still in active combat and millions of civilians either dead or displaced. This is why I recoil in disgust when someone tries to apply the ‘shake things up’ justification to our domestic political contest. People have no clue what they are asking for or what could result from them getting what they think they want. Sometimes when things get shaken up they are irreparably broken.
Yet here we are over 13 years later with people still in active combat and millions of civilians either dead or displaced. This is why I recoil in disgust when someone tries to apply the ‘shake things up’ justification to our domestic political contest. People have no clue what they are asking for or what could result from them getting what they think they want. Sometimes when things get shaken up they are irreparably broken.
8
What happened to the Iraqi soldiers that got wounded? I am glad to hear that you are okay, but I was also concerned about the welfare of your comrades---some of whom sought to come to your aid. Thanks.
4
Fascinating coverage.
I had to wonder, though, about the references to ISIS-dug trenches, once I saw the sole photo of one being filled by the bulldozer. It looks much more like a natural drainage gully, what with the land on both sides having taken a pronounced slope down to it, there being no signs of trenched material around, and the whole area very well-weathered with plant-growth looking the same as anywhere else...
I had to wonder, though, about the references to ISIS-dug trenches, once I saw the sole photo of one being filled by the bulldozer. It looks much more like a natural drainage gully, what with the land on both sides having taken a pronounced slope down to it, there being no signs of trenched material around, and the whole area very well-weathered with plant-growth looking the same as anywhere else...
4
To me it looks like a trench dug into a natural drainage gully.
1
I read this holding my breath for you, and finish it with tears of relief. It's more than gripping; your story churned up empathy, hope, fury, gratitude, terror and awe. did I mention gratitude? it's become more and more difficult to survive in journalism, literally and figuratively. Thank you for doing this, and please stay safe.
2
Wow. That was gripping. I wanted to read what happened next, and then I remembered that this is not fiction but a story being lived out as we speak. Thank you, Bryan, for bringing the story to us so vividly. And thank you to the New York Times for making sure we read/see such stories.
5
My neighbor who flies helicopters (I won't give any specifics here) is getting set for a nine month deployment "over there". We were standing with him in our front yard yesterday among the fading roses talking about his upcoming deployment which will have up to three destinations in the Middle East. His concern was the possibility coming up against the Russians. This is his third deployment. He has a couple of young kids, one of them was with him practicing for Halloween in his ninja turtle outfit while we talked in adult code about what was coming up in their lives.
The journalist here chooses to do this for his own professional reasons. Hemingway chose to cover the Spanish Civil war for his own reasons, often keeping the best and most personal stories/vignettes to use later for his fiction. I don't go all gaga about the danger that the press put themselves in while riding in the most explosion proof vehicles but journalists are now "legitimate" targets, so good luck to them. I am certainly glad that the press is moving more freely now in our combat theaters. In our first Iraq conflicts the press was carefully controlled by the military and the media was going along with the censorship as their patriotic duty.
The article was well written, but was a little too long. I could have lost my hand if it was an inch away. You could have lost your eye if it was twenty inches higher. You could have been spared entirely if it was an inch in the other direction, etc etc etc
The journalist here chooses to do this for his own professional reasons. Hemingway chose to cover the Spanish Civil war for his own reasons, often keeping the best and most personal stories/vignettes to use later for his fiction. I don't go all gaga about the danger that the press put themselves in while riding in the most explosion proof vehicles but journalists are now "legitimate" targets, so good luck to them. I am certainly glad that the press is moving more freely now in our combat theaters. In our first Iraq conflicts the press was carefully controlled by the military and the media was going along with the censorship as their patriotic duty.
The article was well written, but was a little too long. I could have lost my hand if it was an inch away. You could have lost your eye if it was twenty inches higher. You could have been spared entirely if it was an inch in the other direction, etc etc etc
3
What's missing in this well-written piece is the larger context.
I found myself rooting for the convoy as the story progressed,
and had to stop and remind myself that WHY these people are there,
and the larger picture from which these images were plucked
began as a war crime by our own government; a lie that was
rolled like great big car-bomb right up against the foundation
of our democracy.
That ugly act, so fiercely fought and so predictably disastrous,
has guaranteed that there will continue to be shrapnel
and collateral damage of all kinds (and profits for the munitions makers),
for as far as any of us can see into the future.
I found myself rooting for the convoy as the story progressed,
and had to stop and remind myself that WHY these people are there,
and the larger picture from which these images were plucked
began as a war crime by our own government; a lie that was
rolled like great big car-bomb right up against the foundation
of our democracy.
That ugly act, so fiercely fought and so predictably disastrous,
has guaranteed that there will continue to be shrapnel
and collateral damage of all kinds (and profits for the munitions makers),
for as far as any of us can see into the future.
11
Correct, and we all know that. But would you now have ISIL expand unchecked? Because all we can respond to now is the present.
I am perplexed. The headline leads us to understand that the author's vehicle was struck and that the author was wounded. However, the story informs us that the device missed its target. Am I the only person who feels deceived by the headline of this story? I am left with the sense that the headline was bait.
5
This is heroic live coverage from this terrible place and is most needed for the American people to witness. My one ongoing thought as the story progressed was that not one of the Iraqi soldiers on the ground was wearing a helmet and I wondered if the journalist was also bare headed? Can we not provide the simplest of equipment to these extremely brave men and women who walk in danger every minute? The true cost of this ongoing disaster is the needless lives that might have been saved by such a small thing as a helmet. Head wounds and head trauma should receive the terrible respect they deserve. A brain is a terrible thing to lose.
9
reading this brave account of the reality of these soldiers' and journalists' lives makes our presidential election look so childish and silly, "nasty woman", "rigged election", "basket of deplorables" et. al.
2
You are the world's eyes and ears Mr. Denton. Thank you for covering conflicts that need our attention. Be safe.
5
"Gripping" does not begin to describe this article and the photos. And "thank you" seems a wholly-inadequate response.
Please, sir, at the first opportunity, see a neurologist. From your description, it sounds like you were exposed at least once, maybe more than once, to concussive blast waves. Please get checked out.
Please, sir, at the first opportunity, see a neurologist. From your description, it sounds like you were exposed at least once, maybe more than once, to concussive blast waves. Please get checked out.
3
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0303/04.html
Guess you missed this program featuring Bob Woodward.
Guess you missed this program featuring Bob Woodward.
First and foremost, wonderful job reporting what you've witnessed on the front line and thank you for your bravery and willingness to provide us with direct and firsthand news.
Though I am sure many comments on this video will point out the twisted motives and vested interests behind our introduction of the war, I think it is important to get past who's responsible and focus on what we need to do now that we are involved. I am not saying dishonesty was not a driving force behind it, simply that we will not get a definitive answer and that it is important to move on and deal with what is at hand.
We cannot be so naïve to believe that we could stay uninvolved in the situation in the Middle East and, more specifically, Mosul. We need to provide assistance to disable ISIS and rid them of their resources and power, as it is our fault they formed in the first place. We owe it to the innocent Iraqi citizens of Mosul caught in the crossfire of this twisted power struggle to step in and allow them to return to some sense of normalcy.
Though I am sure many comments on this video will point out the twisted motives and vested interests behind our introduction of the war, I think it is important to get past who's responsible and focus on what we need to do now that we are involved. I am not saying dishonesty was not a driving force behind it, simply that we will not get a definitive answer and that it is important to move on and deal with what is at hand.
We cannot be so naïve to believe that we could stay uninvolved in the situation in the Middle East and, more specifically, Mosul. We need to provide assistance to disable ISIS and rid them of their resources and power, as it is our fault they formed in the first place. We owe it to the innocent Iraqi citizens of Mosul caught in the crossfire of this twisted power struggle to step in and allow them to return to some sense of normalcy.
2
I thank you for bringing home the truth: the horror of war. It recalls the Vietnam coverage, before our armed forces began to "embed" journalists and thus intentionally censor (and perhaps subtly bias) war reporting, despite the intentions of the journalists. The result of this propagandizing seems to be that the American people are shielded from what war really is - mainly the slaughter of innocents. We are encouraged to remain at a safe distance, to view war as an abstraction, a video game, or merely a political act, with no recognition of the real cost. Nobody wins when violence reigns.
It is gifted reporters and photojournalists like you that are providing a humanitarian service to those of us who would otherwise either be left in the dark or could claim ignorance. Your risks make us responsible, whether we like it or not. I pray for you all. Please stay safe.
It is gifted reporters and photojournalists like you that are providing a humanitarian service to those of us who would otherwise either be left in the dark or could claim ignorance. Your risks make us responsible, whether we like it or not. I pray for you all. Please stay safe.
7
Chilling, gripping, great writing. Really gives me a sense of being there, but obviously less than a thousandth of what it must actually be like. Glad you were not more seriously hurt. How ISIS and the world has created this seemingly unending supply of suicidal militants is the real question and challenge to be solved.
6
Wow. I felt like I was there, but incredibly happy I am not.
6
Unfortunately it is War that has always brought, and continues to bring, out a good measure of the best writing, reportage and photography that has ever been practiced on Planet Earth.
Some god of carnage created Earth specifically as a free fire zone for the purpose of continuous war. We can only wait, and for not too long now,and see the excellent writing, reporting and photography that will emanate from the apocalypse and the final battle of Armageddon.
As we have seen for centuries this barren land hardly looks worth living on much less dying for.
Some god of carnage created Earth specifically as a free fire zone for the purpose of continuous war. We can only wait, and for not too long now,and see the excellent writing, reporting and photography that will emanate from the apocalypse and the final battle of Armageddon.
As we have seen for centuries this barren land hardly looks worth living on much less dying for.
6
Take care Bryan, you're the best war photojournalists, the world needs your images. Reporting is key, your life is essential!
6
Well, glad you survived this to tell the tale. I am amazed at the bravery of the people who go into these situations, soldiers, reporters, photographers. The whole war thing seems so very very stupid. I can't really understand, but thanks, I guess, for this mesmerizing reporting. And I'll pray for your continued safety.
21
Wonderful reporting and photography. I am very glad I'm not your mother! Operation Iraqi Freedom was something cooked up by those who profit from war and those in the fossil fuel business (perhaps even in the August 2001 secret energy meeting with Cheney). We should never have entered any of this. War consumes massive amounts of fossil fuel, not to mention lives. This is insanity and we should just leave now. Let the Mideast neighbors sort it out . We should not be selling weapons to any of them and particularly not to the evil Saudis.
28
I couldn't agree more - unfortunately I expect much more of the same from Hillary who's super cozy with the evil Saudis.
2
We did leave, this is the Iraqi Army fighting. I didn't see any signs of US air support, which seemed to be needed.
2
It feels strange to 'thank you' for this story, my feelings are so far beyond gratitude.
You, your team, and the Iraqis are the quintessentially brave. This story will stay with me. You've given us a clear, unembellished account the daily horror of warfare in Iraq at this pivotal time. I can only begin to imagine the gruesome tales faced by those with no public outlet.
May the progenitors of this war (Bush, Cheney, the crew...) read this and feel something. Let the war hawks begin to understand what it means, on a concrete level, to engage. And PLEASE all of you return safe to your families and loved ones..
You, your team, and the Iraqis are the quintessentially brave. This story will stay with me. You've given us a clear, unembellished account the daily horror of warfare in Iraq at this pivotal time. I can only begin to imagine the gruesome tales faced by those with no public outlet.
May the progenitors of this war (Bush, Cheney, the crew...) read this and feel something. Let the war hawks begin to understand what it means, on a concrete level, to engage. And PLEASE all of you return safe to your families and loved ones..
94
Great reportage. Now come home for a bit and be safe.
12
Bryan, your work continues to amaze me, both for its compositional wonder and the humanity you manage, time after time, to draw out of today's most awful moments. Rest easy for now and know that you have many, many grateful viewers who are pulling for you.
15
I am glad you are well and thanks for a gripping article.
Am I the only one who still, after all these years, can't get his head around the concept of suicide bombers? Do those who would do such a thing have no desire to live? War is fighting and giving it your best attempt. Intentionally killing yourself for some cause that you can never live to see is insanity.
How is a rational world to deal with insanity?
Am I the only one who still, after all these years, can't get his head around the concept of suicide bombers? Do those who would do such a thing have no desire to live? War is fighting and giving it your best attempt. Intentionally killing yourself for some cause that you can never live to see is insanity.
How is a rational world to deal with insanity?
7
Interesting. But consider that a reverence for sacrifice and martyrdom on behalf of a cause or a belief is central to many faiths, especially Christianity!
The surest path to sainthood in the Catholic church remains a willingness to die for your faith. Through history, that is often the most important qualification. Think Becket, More, Fisher or even the the multitude of priests murdered in the Spanish Civil War and now on a path to sainthood — provided they were killed by the Republican side side :-) Those priests killed by Nationalists, predominantly in northern Spain, need not apply.
In this case these suicide bombers believe their cause is just, and want to take some of their enemies with them on their path towards whatever heavenly reward they think their actions will attain.
Given Christians' own beliefs, is that so hard to understand?
The surest path to sainthood in the Catholic church remains a willingness to die for your faith. Through history, that is often the most important qualification. Think Becket, More, Fisher or even the the multitude of priests murdered in the Spanish Civil War and now on a path to sainthood — provided they were killed by the Republican side side :-) Those priests killed by Nationalists, predominantly in northern Spain, need not apply.
In this case these suicide bombers believe their cause is just, and want to take some of their enemies with them on their path towards whatever heavenly reward they think their actions will attain.
Given Christians' own beliefs, is that so hard to understand?
3
Yes, it remains hard, if not impossible, to understand. Why must anyone, Christian or otherwise, kill non-believers? If this is what your diety seeks, to kill all those who don't believe, it is madness. Please, keep your religion to yourself, impose it not on me.
I grew up during the war in Vietnam and vividly remember the photographs and tv coverage that flooded Into our homes every day. Pictures of flagged draped coffins and young men slogging through rice paddies. Helicopters air lifting the dead and wounded while taking fire from the surrounding jungle. The images were a constant reminder of the war and in the end those images mobilized the anti-war movement.
These wars, in the Middle East, aren't in our living rooms every day. We rarely see the coffins arriving home. It's all to easy to push the horrors aside. We have become complacent and careless. Thank you for this story and god speed .
These wars, in the Middle East, aren't in our living rooms every day. We rarely see the coffins arriving home. It's all to easy to push the horrors aside. We have become complacent and careless. Thank you for this story and god speed .
17
If you grew up during the war in Vietnam, as did I, then safe to bet that you did not support this misguided war.
And yes, back then the body count was a ticker on the evening news. Now MSM, all of whom backed this war, does not bother.
And yes, back then the body count was a ticker on the evening news. Now MSM, all of whom backed this war, does not bother.
What is our objective? This hamlet. That town. Mosul. Those are places. But they are not our places. Kill the people in them? Is that the point. Replace them with whom? Our people? These are not our people that will replace them.
What is our objective? Why ARE WE STILL there?
We broke it, we fix it. I get that. But what does "fixed" look like?
Who wants us there? Can anybody explain this? Truly explain it with a complete answer that makes rational, long term sense?
10
Mr. Denton was with a detachment of Iraqi soldiers, not Americans.
None of the people he refers to in this article is an American.
None of the people he refers to in this article is an American.
46
"Our people." "Those people," and "Their people" – remove the first word of each of these and you'll see the common denominator - and, I think, the rationale and the sense. There is no moral conundrum in assisting our fellow man in a rightful cause - indeed, more so if we are partially to blame for that cause in the first place.
Fantastic piece by the way - bold photos! Well done.
Fantastic piece by the way - bold photos! Well done.
6
US soldiers are in this battle.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/world/middleeast/us-iraq-mosul.html
Apparently the first thing we should do is properly inform the United States public about what is going on over there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/world/middleeast/us-iraq-mosul.html
Apparently the first thing we should do is properly inform the United States public about what is going on over there.
2
Thank you for covering this important story. Your personal account helps readers comprehend the reality of this particular battle and its consequences. Our country has a stake in the outcome though only a small share compared with the enormous investment by the Iraqi people and the Kurds. Please tell them that we are praying for their success. Always, the story of war is about the people: their struggles, their sacrifices and their courage are worthy of humanity's attention. Take care of yourself. We care about you, too.
29
For all those who glorify war, this is just the tip of the iceberg. One of my buddies is rightfully proud about his Air Force Major son's "combat" over Iraq, where not a missile is ever fired at him, but it's another thing being down on the ground facing a determined enemy. My friend, who lost his son in law in Afghanistan, still can't see past the fog of war. What a disaster we have sown.
26
I don't usually read stories that describe being in the middle of a war. I was in Lebanon in 2006 when a war started so the photos of the smoke rising were familiar. You are such an amazing writer. I felt like I was reading Hemingway or some other terrific teller of war stories. My neck started to tense as I read. Your descriptions of cars heavy with armor and explosives as they ease themselves out of hidden alleys towards the trail of Humvees, the tractor filling trenches and creating berms etc. made me feel like I was there. Plus your films and photos added to the suspense of a "real time" experience, so many layers.....I'm glad I decided to read your piece. Smooth sailing, stay safe and thank you.
31
It is interesting. I believe war zone photo/journalists are not given the respect they deserve. As far as this reporter, The NY Times can afford (and does, I bet) to pay for extra security for their photo/journalists. For that reason exactly, I truly miss Al Jazeera America, as they were the best and bravest in my opinion. They gave the best and most objective news on television and on the internet, if your cable provider allowed them to broadcast. When I lived in New York, you could watch them on TW Cable in HD. In New Jersey, you could watch them on Comcast, but not in HD; also their website was blocked. It is a shame they folded (on US tv). Now, your only option is to watch The Nightly ABC, CBS or NBC Evening News, or as I call it, The Nightly Pharmaceutical Show, with soundbite snippets of "news". One (random) evening, I counted 14 commercials for RX or OTC drugs. Unbelieveable. If Big Pharma didn't advertise, we could all have FREE health care with the amount of money they spend on advertising.
18
Easy Goer, you do have another option: PBS.
3
Gripping war journalism. Ranks with the best.
9
It's tough to comment on this. It's a glimpse into a world torn asunder. People risk their lives to fight, to defend, and to document it. People who have no choice lose their homes, families, and lives all throughout. What a nightmare! The photos are really excellent; all the shots of the bullet and missile wrecked windshields, the soldiers' postures and expressions, and the innocuous- seeming houses in the middle of a desert convey the terror and the tension. We used to hear Dale Minor reporting direct from Vietnam on WBAI during the war there- the photos were in our minds. Now as then, the images will not go away- they are part of our archive of imagery, along with our family snapshots, our favorite things, our worst and best moments, our dreams....
51
Excellent. Thank you for writing this. It reminded me of the coverage we once received regularly from the front lines of the Vietnam war. That coverage changed public opinion.
11
This is why the "failing New York Times" is still in business.
57
The fact that a heavily-armed convoy had a hard time stopping four slow-moving suicide vehicles shows just how different combat is from the way most people must imagine it. Having the appropriate weapon to defend one's self in the right place at just the right time is all but impossible.
You're a brave man, Bryan, and I admire your ability to do your job under the incredible stress generated in situations like this. Most of all, I'm glad you're going to be ok and that our soldiers and allies are for the most part well and making progress toward eventual stability in a part of the world our country was in part responsible for destabilizing. Their sacrifice is respected.
Terrific photos and story - though I also support a great deal of what "Paw" commented below.
You're a brave man, Bryan, and I admire your ability to do your job under the incredible stress generated in situations like this. Most of all, I'm glad you're going to be ok and that our soldiers and allies are for the most part well and making progress toward eventual stability in a part of the world our country was in part responsible for destabilizing. Their sacrifice is respected.
Terrific photos and story - though I also support a great deal of what "Paw" commented below.
45
I look at the videos and think why is anyone fighting over plots of barren dirt, and then I remember we are fighting ISIS, who would throw civilization back into the Dark Ages if they win their war. I look at the videos and think my God those are brave boys. I read the story and think we are lucky to have the talented journalist Bryan Denton to let me see what is going on while I'm sitting in the safety of my sofa.
99
This took my breath away. It's one thing to be committed and passionate about your calling, but trapped in a vehicle when you know a bomb is coming is just too horrifying. We appreciate the work, but we also want journalists coming home safe and alive to tell the tale. We also, because of empathy, understand why you do what you do, but come home in one piece to keep reporting. Hands are vital for photojournalism.
101
Great reporting and fantastic photography.
Congratulations.
Congratulations.
7
Incredible story. It takes incredibly brave journalists and photographers to tell these stories of war. Glad you were ok!
7
Bryan,
Thank you for your incredible bravery. The courage of journalists who join our troops in areas of intense conflict is astounding.
Thank you for your incredible bravery. The courage of journalists who join our troops in areas of intense conflict is astounding.
10
Wow! That's writing!
The enormity of the enemy's guile and depravity is overwhelming. And, all in the name of god.
The enormity of the enemy's guile and depravity is overwhelming. And, all in the name of god.
5
Dear Mr. Denton,
Sorry to hear this. Hope you are well or recovering.
Also sorry to hear that no one told you: Iraq is a war zone, and car bombs are one of the weapons frequently use.
Sorry to hear this. Hope you are well or recovering.
Also sorry to hear that no one told you: Iraq is a war zone, and car bombs are one of the weapons frequently use.
Ummm, somehow I think he's aware of that. What article were you reading, the one where he's sitting on his porch sipping tea and a car bomb went off?
Because I read the article where he wrote this. . .
"Under peaceful circumstances, that drive would take maybe an hour and a half. But it would take the unit we were with nearly all day just to push three miles into Islamic State territory to the western edge of Bartella, where the troops were to cut off the Islamic State fighters holed up in the town, keeping them from escaping to Mosul or being reinforced from there. There were bombs all along the road, and nearly every village along the way would be a source of attack."
Because I read the article where he wrote this. . .
"Under peaceful circumstances, that drive would take maybe an hour and a half. But it would take the unit we were with nearly all day just to push three miles into Islamic State territory to the western edge of Bartella, where the troops were to cut off the Islamic State fighters holed up in the town, keeping them from escaping to Mosul or being reinforced from there. There were bombs all along the road, and nearly every village along the way would be a source of attack."
4
Hard to tell, but that radius looks fractured.
I saw your wrist all nicely stitched up already on your instagram feed. Keep up the good work and stay lucky.
6
Great journalism and courage to go out there and do what you do. The fight against ISIS is relentless but the Iraqi's are putting up a better fight then they did in 2014 when they ran away. Looking forward to seeing ISIS troops do the same in Mosul and you documenting it. Good luck!
7
Those humvee-like vehicles cost something like $200,000+ each and they guzzle gas the whole time. Big armored specialty vehicles are even more. Ongoing maintenance costs are huge for an operation like that. Forget about the cost of helicopters, satellite mission support, etc. The huge costs of airlifting troops everywhere. And then, of course, everyone participating there is getting a paycheck, and then more paychecks are going to no-shows as has been repeatedly documented.
All of this paid for by the United States, all of it an insane boondoggle. Makes for strange bedfellows when I hear people talk about wanting to lower taxes and defund the federal government, for although I may disagree with those folks on many fronts, here's what they're doing with a whole lot of the money.
All of this paid for by the United States, all of it an insane boondoggle. Makes for strange bedfellows when I hear people talk about wanting to lower taxes and defund the federal government, for although I may disagree with those folks on many fronts, here's what they're doing with a whole lot of the money.
13
Are we to speak of values? War is failure and war is expensive, but there are higher values than stuff or money: the least individual, warrior or bystander, was given birth by someone, loved by someone they themselves loved, and of inestimable value far in excess of anything material. Monetary losses can be repaid; others cannot.
2
All the troops and equipment in this story are Iraqi army.
1
incredible first hand reportage!
7
Beautifully written article - combined with the excellent pictures it's really harrowing. Your warranted fear comes through in both the words and the shots. Thank you for your bravery in covering such terrifying events. Makes an unreal situation real to me. It's a brutal everyday situation for so many.
Very glad you're safe and fully intact.
Very glad you're safe and fully intact.
27
Thank you for this amazing piece of reporting. It's too easy for us here at home to forget what horrors so many others face day after day, and how much we need to press our next leaders to work on bringing an end to this conflict. Be well.
35
I could see from your article that you were so focused on doing your job as a journalist. How you could be able to keep your fear at bay and pressed on, was remarkable. When you got hit, you were calm and analyzed and assessed your injury like a medical expert. You must have a nerve of steel. Your article also showed the bravery and the mind set of those soldiers that marched on to face this unfathomable danger. War is ugly, in spite of the many books, pictures and articles about it ; human can't seem to be able to prevent and stop it. It must be a force of nature.
24
A truly gripping story.
11
I'm glad you're ok! Thank you for sharing your story and helping us understand a bit better what's happening. I appreciate your willingness to put yourself in harm's way to do that. Thank God you're ok! Keep up the good work.
13
All the while George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and their genius advisors, the idiots who precipitated all of this, are safe and warm with no family members exposed to this lethal insanity which they unleashed for no good reason.
173
So true. I was imagining how quiet and peaceful that region was in late 2002 when US troops were safe in the barracks in USA. Sure the Iraqi's were being oppressed by a despot, Saddam, but that was their problem to solve not for US administration to get into and upset the whole region into an unending inferno.
6
It's so frustrating to think that top leaders and most visible of our county's advisors are at the mercy of another layer of self interest and subservience to algorithms of profit.
1
As a former Army Photographer, the article was interesting, but what kept creeping into my mind was stuff from years ago.
I remember watching the drumbeat of the Bush cabal for war in Iraq. General Eric Shinseki - the Vietnam Combat Veteran Chief of Staff and former SFOR CinC - warned publicly that we would need a large occupation force if we invaded Iraq. This followed by never having served DC hangers on like Paul Wolfowitz - self styled military 'expert' - who claimed we would be greeted as liberators. It would all be unicorns, candy, rainbows & flowers. There were a number of these so-called experts among the cabal of DC Villager non-veterans who always seem so sure they are right, and so willing to send you or your loved ones into harm's way among the contingent of Bush advisors- starting with Dick Cheney.
In the end, we found out that it was all based on cooked up Intel. We found General Shinseki was right & the armchair NeoCons were wrong. We found out there were no WMDs. There were no people in the street greeting the liberators beyond the stage managed crap we were fed on TV.
What was sold to Americans as a war of purpose that would be over quickly & cheaply turned out to be the private agenda of people with no skin in the game. It turned out fearfully expensive in lost & shattered lives. It turned out financially ruinous for our country and many who fought there.
And we are still meddling in Iraq all these years later. It is an election year. Choose wisely.
I remember watching the drumbeat of the Bush cabal for war in Iraq. General Eric Shinseki - the Vietnam Combat Veteran Chief of Staff and former SFOR CinC - warned publicly that we would need a large occupation force if we invaded Iraq. This followed by never having served DC hangers on like Paul Wolfowitz - self styled military 'expert' - who claimed we would be greeted as liberators. It would all be unicorns, candy, rainbows & flowers. There were a number of these so-called experts among the cabal of DC Villager non-veterans who always seem so sure they are right, and so willing to send you or your loved ones into harm's way among the contingent of Bush advisors- starting with Dick Cheney.
In the end, we found out that it was all based on cooked up Intel. We found General Shinseki was right & the armchair NeoCons were wrong. We found out there were no WMDs. There were no people in the street greeting the liberators beyond the stage managed crap we were fed on TV.
What was sold to Americans as a war of purpose that would be over quickly & cheaply turned out to be the private agenda of people with no skin in the game. It turned out fearfully expensive in lost & shattered lives. It turned out financially ruinous for our country and many who fought there.
And we are still meddling in Iraq all these years later. It is an election year. Choose wisely.
233
Dick Cheney should be tried as a war criminal. They are saying the current election is the worst -- it is not. For eight solid years we were governed by the Bush administration -- a gang of self serving criminals who richly deserve our contempt -- especially Dick Cheney.
91
So true! Never forget.
9
I don't know what the wise choice is in this election.
Hillary Clinton voted to support the Iraq war.
Her best argument is, "Vote for me, my opponent is a complete lunatic." Which is true.
Hillary Clinton voted to support the Iraq war.
Her best argument is, "Vote for me, my opponent is a complete lunatic." Which is true.
4
This story was visually stunning. But it was also moving and a wake up call. I don't think we realize all that has been going on in the Middle East and what the conditions are like there. These men put their lives on the line every day in order to bring freedom from unrest back to their countries. The video clips were captivating. They reinforced the words and an eye opening look at what the soldiers face.
Mr. Denton and other reports there are very brave for putting themselves at risk in order to bring us these stories. I was glad to read that even though Mr. Denton had been hit, it was not serious and he turned out ok.
Thank you Mr. Denton for your bravery and for bringing us this story. Your photos are amazing!
Mr. Denton and other reports there are very brave for putting themselves at risk in order to bring us these stories. I was glad to read that even though Mr. Denton had been hit, it was not serious and he turned out ok.
Thank you Mr. Denton for your bravery and for bringing us this story. Your photos are amazing!
83
test
A well written story -- stay safe and come home soon.
12
Thank you for sharing. I admire the bravery of everyone there.
If there's a use for drones & robots, its to document combat zones.
There is no possible reason to be compelled to willfully enter a combat zone.
If there's one thing we should have learned by now it's that modern combat zones, with all their exploding ordnance, fireballs, shrapnel, snipers, suicide bombers, etc, is absolutely no place for a human body.
People who participate in combat are surely deranged. There is no valor, heroism, thrill nor purpose to militaristic combat, nothing good can be, or has been, achieved through current combat.
The only possible recourse any human has when faced with a warzone is to flee, as early & far as possible. The only rational choice is to become a refugee, and the only rational response from others is to accept, shelter & protect those refugees.
Individuals who enlist in, or allow themselves to be conscripted in, or who participate in the production of weapons for wars & combat have all made an irrevocable, irrational choice to perpetuate the worst possible behavior that humans are capable of. Everyone else should stay away.
While we are grateful to photographers who have documented the horrors & atrocities of modern wars, by now we get the idea: Combat is crazy. Now please spare us more horror, it's not worth getting splattered by shrapnel to bring us the reality of what's been going on forever in that horrible, perpetual desert of death.
"Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war"
-- Albert Einstein.
There is no possible reason to be compelled to willfully enter a combat zone.
If there's one thing we should have learned by now it's that modern combat zones, with all their exploding ordnance, fireballs, shrapnel, snipers, suicide bombers, etc, is absolutely no place for a human body.
People who participate in combat are surely deranged. There is no valor, heroism, thrill nor purpose to militaristic combat, nothing good can be, or has been, achieved through current combat.
The only possible recourse any human has when faced with a warzone is to flee, as early & far as possible. The only rational choice is to become a refugee, and the only rational response from others is to accept, shelter & protect those refugees.
Individuals who enlist in, or allow themselves to be conscripted in, or who participate in the production of weapons for wars & combat have all made an irrevocable, irrational choice to perpetuate the worst possible behavior that humans are capable of. Everyone else should stay away.
While we are grateful to photographers who have documented the horrors & atrocities of modern wars, by now we get the idea: Combat is crazy. Now please spare us more horror, it's not worth getting splattered by shrapnel to bring us the reality of what's been going on forever in that horrible, perpetual desert of death.
"Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war"
-- Albert Einstein.
43
Well-said. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
3
So I'm gonna guess that even a pretty fat enlistment bonus won't be enough to get you to sign up...
5
I doubt that ISIS reads anything by Albert Einstein...I'm pretty sure the only alternative is to fight them.
5
This should be required reading for would be keyboard warriors who want to send more of our children into the meat grinder of war. A very good read, thank you and a quick recovery sir.
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A majority of Americans, including Liberal journalists in this paper, supported the Iraq War, which led to Afghanistan and the implosion of the Middle East and on and on and on...
Interesting to note that most of the people who supported this war were either not old enough to be drafted during the Vietnam War or had student deferments, i.e. their parents were not poor.
Let's hope the many Americans who supported this war - and yes, everyone remembers that you did - have now learned what the word "quagmire" means.
Interesting to note that most of the people who supported this war were either not old enough to be drafted during the Vietnam War or had student deferments, i.e. their parents were not poor.
Let's hope the many Americans who supported this war - and yes, everyone remembers that you did - have now learned what the word "quagmire" means.
Thank you for this article. I know you were sharing your own harrowing story, but the up close images of our foreign allies was equally significant and impactful for me. I'm so glad you made it out ok, and that those soldiers were keeping you safe. I hope they make it out ok too.
29
This is incredible reporting. Godspeed
12
Be safe...
5
Wow! One hell of a story! Very lucky to have survived such an attack. Good luck out there if you're staying on the job!
11
We are so isolated here in this country from the realities of war. Stories with photographs like this bring it to us. Thank you . I wish everyone involved could be home with their families working on a decent life.
20
"We are so isolated here in this country from the realities of war."
Some of us are.
But there are plenty of veterans in the US, of this and other wars, who have not had your good fortune.
I'm not sure about this whole "thanking" thing that's gotten so out of control, but when you encounter a veteran, be sure to show him (or her) the respect s/he deserves.
Some of us are.
But there are plenty of veterans in the US, of this and other wars, who have not had your good fortune.
I'm not sure about this whole "thanking" thing that's gotten so out of control, but when you encounter a veteran, be sure to show him (or her) the respect s/he deserves.
4
When I meet (post-WWII) veterans, I'm not sure what "respect" they deserve.
"Thank you for uncritically volunteering to fight a stupid war that destroyed functioning governments throughout the middle east and handed it over to ISIS"?
"Thank you for your role in killing 150,000 innocent Iraqis"?
"Thank you for getting Veterans' benefits that give you the college and lifetime health care that the rest of us can't afford"?
"Thank you for uncritically volunteering to fight a stupid war that destroyed functioning governments throughout the middle east and handed it over to ISIS"?
"Thank you for your role in killing 150,000 innocent Iraqis"?
"Thank you for getting Veterans' benefits that give you the college and lifetime health care that the rest of us can't afford"?
2
Thank you for your honesty, Norman.
I will make no comment here. Your words speak for themselves.
I will make no comment here. Your words speak for themselves.
1
Take care out there. When potential college students ask you what you did with your arts education, you'll have a lot to say. Thank you for your service to quality journalism, and beyond.
17
Bryan Denton,
I don't know what they are paying you, but it isn't enough. This is real journalism, bringing the story back to the people at great personal risk. Those of you out in the field, the field of combat, risk all for that story. Your work gives us back home a glimpse of how horrible and dangerous war is. The written word personalizes the events, much more so than a video. It brings back to us the human experience. Mosul is going to be a bloody mess. Stay safe.
I don't know what they are paying you, but it isn't enough. This is real journalism, bringing the story back to the people at great personal risk. Those of you out in the field, the field of combat, risk all for that story. Your work gives us back home a glimpse of how horrible and dangerous war is. The written word personalizes the events, much more so than a video. It brings back to us the human experience. Mosul is going to be a bloody mess. Stay safe.
279
This is real embedded journalism: Artillery, helicopters, guns, they all fire on ISIS fighters, we are told. No stories or pictures about whom they might really hit. Maybe or rather certainly also women and children, "collateral damage". This journalism just shows the good guys hitting the bad guys and taking some unfortunate but relatively light casualities (not too serious wounds, no killed). The dose people at home can swallow without losing faith.
I see no signs that Iraq is getting any closer to resolving the political issues that underlie the fighting.
In the meantime, we are spending our tax dollars on both the Iraq army and on Iraq’s reconstruction.
We have spent over 1.5 trillion dollars!!! Iraq is in a worse state than it was under Saddam Hussein. And, as far as I can see, this kind of cat-and-muse fighting could last for decades into the future.
The politicians (Iraqi/American) need to start talking about who to invite to the table and what peace will look like. And if there is no one to invite to the table, then we ought to be honest about whether it’s really relevant to our survival as a nation to spend trillions on another nation that exists mostly in name only or if we ought to spend those trillions on making our own nation sustainable.
Would be a pity to spend trillions on Iraq if it is doomed to collapse and disappear—and, in spending the money there, set our own nation on a path to collapse and disappearance.