In an Era of ‘Forever Wars,’ the Middle East Bureau Manager Who Made Our Coverage Possible

This is a remarkable and deeply-moving biography of, and tribute to, a great and brilliant person. I have had the privilege of knowing John Fisher Burns since his student years, but greatly regret never having met Jane. This memorial in the New York Times, one of the world's greatest newspapers of record, will be a permanent and accessible commemoration of Jane's life. I share John's, and his family's, sorrow at Jane's untimely passing, and send my sincere condolences. I am very grateful to have seen this tribute because, quite quite by chance, on the day it appeared in The Times I was reading the newspaper in hard copy.

I learned about Jane from John Burns on a NYT trip to Bosnia/Herzogovina last year. To add to your most interesting and deserving tribute to Jane: John told us stories of her getting dogs back to the US for troops that needed assistance with their adopted pets. Truly a humane, capable, and smart woman. My condolences to John and family for their loss.

John Burns was one of my favorite reporters for years. I didn't know about Jane Scott-Long. What a shame! True partnerships enrich both the partners and the rest of us. Thank you for highlighting her amazing story. I will remember her now, and celebrate her.

A beautiful piece. In a world that still seems to be run by men, it's a wondrous thing to read about a woman living and working in a war zone. It seems that she had a remarkable range of gifts including courage, stamina, fierceness, warmth, practicality, imagination and more. An inspiration.

John Burns did excellent reporting in Iraq and I was very sorry when he left. His perspective, his knowledge, his compassion and humanity were singular. Now I know he was only half of a pair of exemplars in journalism. Thanks to Alissa Rubin and Alan Cowell for shining a light on Jane's extraordinary work and life.

Jane: you make me proud.

Thank you for this article about a truly marvelous person. My condolences to her family on their tremendous loss. I hope books & films are made about her and her life.

I am glad Jane lived.

"If it was evening and she was sitting on the patio, she would look up briefly when the first salvo whistled overhead and then continue drinking her whiskey." I could just picture that so clearly. like a scene from a movie. This is the first I've heard of this person and I read this article with equal parts of admiration and sadness. Very moving.

God bless this woman. I do remember her husband, Mr. Burns better. I will not forget his dispatches from Baghdad during Hussein time and how he used to be awakened to be produced before the dictator at all hours. And his last reports before Baghdad fell. Those were some of the best reports. If this lady helped Mr Burns in this work, she deserves as much credit. I have lived all over the world and met some NYT reporters and other foreign reporters. Our reporters always stand out for professionalism and curiosity - necessary for good reporting.

A truly remarkable telling of the career of a truly remarkable woman. John Burns was the first to let the world know 5hat the Iraq invasion was going, as 5hey say in England, all pear shaped. I have little doubt that Jane had helped him know where to tun up that intelligence. Condolences to the family.

Beautiful tribute for a phenomenal woman. Thank you. John Burns is one of my favorite, sorry for your loss.

A very beautiful tribute. So many readers do not understand what goes into establishing and managing a bureau, from being being able to pay people to buying the necessities of everyday life. It takes a rare person who knows how to navigate the waters of the host country and the resistance from the home office. I did it a couple of times for one of the networks. Under appreciated by those who never faced the challenge, but heartily welcomed by those who benefitted.

The Times makes illuminating and informative obits about strangers. This one is even more illuminating and informative about both the subject and her devoted authors.

Eloquent obituary to a great journalist and hats off to Ms. Rubin and Mr. Cowell for their fine writing.69 is very young, and my heart goes out to her family,John Burns and the kids and their terrier.

I did not know of Jane's passing, and I just wanted to add my compliments about her and John's careers. They were both great friends and great correspondents for The Times. I was fortunate enough to nominate John for the Pulitzer Prize he won for his coverage of Sarajevo.

Thank you for reminding your readers of the hard work and dedication of the support staff behind the scenes at the New York Times. It was an honor to read about Jane and her contributions to the quality of the reporting by the New York Times.

Why isn't there a Pulitzer for her?

Thank you for this moving tribute to a brave journalist. She was a class act in all that she did, not only making sure that the quarters and the whiskey were right, but also insuring that the news was accurate. She did her job with courage and flair.

She sounds like an admirable and appealing woman, who lived a full life. Thanks for the insight into the backstage.

Ave... "We had at least 80 staff members who applied for the “special immigrant visa,” and most of those who succeeded left soon after. It was a proud moment for The Times, to have done the right thing at the cost of losing some of our most talented employees. We felt strongly that we owed it to people who had risked their lives for us..." A wonderfully damning indictment of Trumpism. Thank you...

Thank you so much for this beautiful article.

Thank you for praising and remembering this wonderful colleague. Yes, we need to realize that foreign reporting doesn't happen by magic. So much has to happen. That one person did so much - constructing a headquarters, outfitting them, ensuring security, paying personnel, assuring that expectations are met, standing by all those who endanger themselves to bring the news to us, and representing the paper in happy and somber times - is truly amazing. Thank you for your words and thanks for the photos. I especially like the one where she's leaning against the tank's fender and standing resolutely (or is it nonchalantly?) in that thrown tank tread.

"I shan’t forgit the night When I dropped be’ind the fight With a bullet where my belt-plate should ’a’ been. I was chokin’ mad with thirst, An’ the man that spied me first Was our good old grinnin’, gruntin’ Gunga Din. ’E lifted up my ’ead, An’ he plugged me where I bled, An’ ’e guv me ’arf-a-pint o’ water green. It was crawlin’ and it stunk, But of all the drinks I’ve drunk, I’m gratefullest to one from Gunga Din. It was 'Din! Din! Din! ‘’Ere’s a beggar with a bullet through ’is spleen; ‘’E's chawin’ up the ground, ‘An’ ’e’s kickin’ all around: ‘For Gawd’s sake git the water, Gunga Din!’ ’E carried me away To where a dooli lay, An’ a bullet come an’ drilled the beggar clean. ’E put me safe inside, An’ just before ’e died, 'I ’ope you liked your drink,’ sez Gunga Din. So I’ll meet ’im later on At the place where ’e is gone— Where it’s always double drill and no canteen. ’E’ll be squattin’ on the coals Givin’ drink to poor damned souls, An’ I’ll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din! Yes, Din! Din! Din! You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din! Though I’ve belted you and flayed you, By the livin’ Gawd that made you, You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" -Rudyard Kipling

in war the first L leads the charge, but the sergeants run the show.

I’ve read bits and pieces about Jane in other Times’ correspondents books but had no idea of the extent of her duties and accomplishments. A “rock” indeed for so many, not least, I suspect, Mr. Burns also. My sincere sympathy to him and their children for their loss.

What a lovely tribute to a journalist. An antidote to the current denigration of the profession by those who fear courage and transparency.

Living in a country where mass media’s lack of integrity and reliability has basically become a part of national identity I tend to rely on NYTimes whenever I can afford it to get my news from the world. Reading about the people behind the scenes, people who make the reporting possible makes me appreciate NYTimes and what it brings to the world even more. Thanks for everything Jane and if you are watching us from above, drinking your whiskey, cheers! Stefan