Veteran WaPo Reporter Shot Execution-Style in Iraq

A veteran reporter for the Washington Post was shot in the forehead at close range in Iraq today.

Salih Saif Aldin, 32, was reporting on the violence that has plagued Baghdad's Sadiyah neighborhood Sunday afternoon when he was shot in the forehead. According to residents of the neighborhood and the Iraqi military officers at the scene, he was taking photographs on a street where several houses had been burned when he was killed. His wounds appeared to indicate he was shot at close range.

"Courageous beyond imagination, Salih was determined to unveil the truth," said Sudarsan Raghavan, The Post's Baghdad bureau chief. "He was instrumental to The Post's coverage of Iraq. He will be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues."   Washington Post link

I have heard conflicting numbers of press that have been killed, 154 in one place, at least 118 in another report. This certainly is no evidence that violence has taken a holiday in Iraq, and should be enough proof for anyone that there will be more violence and bloodshed there in the coming months and years.

I am not hopeful about the US leaving Iraq. The situation has deteriorated to the point that we will be in that position of being between a rock and a hard place for some time to come.
I don't have any more words to describe the feelings I get when I read a story like this, or a story about civilians, or troops dying for a war that was totally unnecessary.

Dying for a man whose ego and willingness to do anything he is told has brought us to this unfortunate point.

That would be you, Mister Bush.

Moratorium - October 19, 2007 This Friday. Be there, aloha.

•  Tip Jar

  I don't personally know how much more I can stand.

  My work to change things is the only thing that keeps me going these days.

  by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:47:09 PM PDT

  •  tip, rec, cookies...and a video::

    by ezdidit on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:55:17 PM PDT

•  How dare they.

  How dare they say we are winning when its chaos, how dare they say we are saving people when a country is coming undone.

  How dare they call themselves "Patriots".

  by Morgan Sandlin on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:48:02 PM PDT

  •  You want the truth

    believe the opposite of what the crooks and killers in Bushco say.

    by trashablanca on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:53:36 PM PDT

  •  "How dare they," YOU say??

    by ezdidit on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:54:30 PM PDT

    •  Quit spamming my diary

      by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:58:03 PM PDT

    •  Man I am a Gore fan big time, but using this

      tragedy of the death of this reporter to freakin' promote your candidate is disgusting.

      I hated Bush the day that he callously stood on the rubble of 9/11 to elevate his own political position - there were bodies under there.

      This diary is dedicated to a person who has lost their life in this ill-conceived war.  Take a minute to honor this reporter's life and forget promoting your candidate just for a second. Sheesh.

      by inclusiveheart on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:33:20 PM PDT

•  I am so very sorry. How many more people

  have to die before we get the hell out of Iraq?

  by blue jersey mom on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:49:46 PM PDT

  •  I wish I knew

    I really don't know what to think, and I am afraid I am at a loss for thoughts right now.

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:01:42 PM PDT

•  Who killed him?

  All I could think about when I read this is Blackwater. Sometimes to get rid of evidence, such as bodies, houses are burned. Sounds like he may have been on to something and someone didn't want him to investigate.

  by Maine Atticus on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:54:14 PM PDT

  •  Unknown at this point

    AFAIK.

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:59:16 PM PDT

  •  Murdered for

    TAKING PICTURES.

    "They would kill you for a cigarette...."

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:12:10 PM PDT

•  Mister Bush and Congress.

  It's a joint operation.

  by dov12348 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:01:14 PM PDT

•  Check his stuff to see if he was critical....

  ...of the war.

  Then let's see where Blackwater was at the time.

  by Bensdad on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:03:15 PM PDT

  •  Wouldn't that be

    a fine kettle of fish.

    Blackwater murdering journalists to further their master's agenda.

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:06:06 PM PDT

•  I am so

  fucking sick of this I can't tell you. The din in my head is like a thousand freight trains rumbling through at a time.

  I have an election here in 21 days, and I am captivated by what I see as this country's utter failure to do anything to stop this bullshit.

  I hope those responsible rot in hell for eternity.

  by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:10:44 PM PDT

•  Videos are verbotten

  The Iraqis (meaning us), recently passed a law preventing journalists from taking videos or photos of recent altercations.  I wonder if he was filming something he shouldn't, and they nailed him for it.  Of course, no witnesses, right?

  What a f'd up mess.  I'll keep my ears open for other news on this.  Thanks for the head's up.

  by Drewsky on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:15:36 PM PDT

•  Sad news.

  Perhaps The Washington Post, now that it has tragically lost one of its own, will reconsider their cheerleading for this war and editorial support of Bush's destructive policies in Iraq and in the war on terror.

  If they cannot reconsider their editorial positions after thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died, perhaps these Washington elites will finally admit they have been terribly wrong.  

  by Joelarama on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:27:42 PM PDT

  •  One can only hope n/t

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:29:06 PM PDT

  •  correction: "perhaps NOW these Washington

    Elites will admit they have been terribly wrong."

    by Joelarama on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:29:19 PM PDT

    •  might happen

      there has been some talk about how you have to be wrong to develop a reputation for honesty in  Washington.  Then, if you later admit you were wrong, everybody goes, "wow, how honest." If you are always right, then nobody knows if you are honest or not.  

      It's been obvious Bush screwed up in Iraq since about the "Mission Accomplished" stage, so anyone that declares they were wrong to support his vanity war at this late day is just admitting they are a little slow.

      by unterhausen on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 08:17:11 PM PDT

  •  That's been the big problem all along...

    None of the elites and almost none of the rest of the country are suffering any consequences b/c of this war.  One thing that was clear in "The War" was that everyone had a stake of some kind in WW II.  While Vietnam really only affected a minority of households, the fear of the draft affected the larger population as a whole.

    The saddest thing about human nature is that most people are largely inured to the sufferings of others.  It takes events like this tragic death to shake up the elite consensus.

    by RFK Lives on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 07:30:58 PM PDT

•  How incredibly sad and horrific.

  by FoundingFatherDAR on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:29:00 PM PDT

•  The Committee to Protect Journalists

  keeps track of threats and violence against journalists in various parts of the world.

  According to CPJ, 118 journalists have been killed on duty in Iraq since March 2003, the overwhelming majority of them Iraqi. That's nearly twice the number killed in all of the Vietnam war.

  by Mnemosyne on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:35:17 PM PDT

•  Horrifying, sad and such a waste.

  Prayers to his family and friends.

  There is so much loss.  It is so sad.  The only thing that we can hope is that we can figure out a way to make the many, many people's lives that have been lost count towards something honorable and noble.  Stopping this war would be a good first step towards that end.

  by inclusiveheart on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:37:40 PM PDT

  •  Thank you

    for your comment upthread.

    I second your emotion.

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:46:55 PM PDT

    •  I have a very, very old friend who is a

      war photographer.  These stories hit close to home for me.  But more than that, as political as I am, I am always mindful that the people - the principles - the policies - are the real heart and soul of good and meaningful politics - not merely the stepping stones to power.  Pardon the pun where it comes to Bush and the rubble.  I don't think Gore would have appreciated his clip being placed in such a way because I think he too believes that humanity is the central driver - not the politics or the power.  That's why I like him so much.

      by inclusiveheart on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 07:36:56 PM PDT

•  If he was uncovering truth

  he was not killed by our enemies

  by JamesBrown4ever on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 07:29:42 PM PDT

  •  I don't know what that means n/t

    by Dems2004 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 07:54:00 PM PDT