Frequent commenter Jeremy pointed Michael Yon's website out. Yon is currently in Iraq and makes this great point in his description of the battle for Mosul:

journalist not wishing to embed with US forces is free to apply for an Iraqi visa, fly to Baghdad, and hire a car and an interpreter who can drive them around town. They can knock on doors and talk directly with people; visit hospitals, talk with doctors; stop by the side of the road and talk with shepherds; or even hang out in a village and help make the goat cheese. Iraqi people are generally polite and usually more than willing to offer opinions about what's happening in their neighborhood.

Of course, the major problem with eschewing a close military presence is the enemy's proclivity to kidnap and behead journalists whose reports portray insurgents in a negative or violent way. This puts ethical journalists in a tight spot where they have the freedom to roam but not to report the truth; whereas journalists who embed with US forces often report very negatively.

Now, here is your chance to help out. I'll just quote Jeremy's description of what is going on here. Yon describes a 5 year old little girl with a heart condition that can be treated back in the States:

The short version is, the soldiers want to help her, but are being held up by red tape. I have emailed our state's Senators concerning the matter, and thought that perhaps other readers might want to do the same.

I don't imagine myself much of a writer, but I will paste my letter below, in case anyone would like to use what I wrote in whole or in part.

Senator XXXX,

In the Isla Zeral area of Mosul, Iraq, there is a 5 year old girl desperately in need of help. Her name is Rhma Taha Ahmed and she suffers from a heart condition. In mid-May, her father flagged down a passing US Army patrol from the 1-24th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division and asked them to look at his daughter. Captain Paul Carron, the Bravo company commander of this unit, decided to take action to help this little girl get the medical attention she so urgently needs. While many American doctors have pledged money or free treatment, this young girl's chance for life is being delayed by bureaucratic snags and red tape. Senator XXXX, our great country has the means to help this young girl before it is too late. We have doctors willing to help her; we have soldiers, in harm's way in the defense of freedom and the Iraqi people, reaching out to a sick child, far above the call of duty. We have every thing we need, letÂ’s not let red tape stand in the way. Senator, you are in the position to expedite the process of bringing Rhma here for treatment. I ask that you help our soldiers and our nation demonstrate their compassion for people everywhere.

Sincerely,
YYYY

To find out your Senators e-mail address, go here.

Posted by: Rusty at 09:18 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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