Reporting in Iraq

Reporting in Iraq

Reporting on a country with as much history and depth as Iraq is no easy task. But doing so in the face of so many obstacles - security and otherwise - is something every journalist there, whether local or foreign, deserves credit for.

My first day in the country was sobering. Sure, we didn't spiral into the airport, but the moment we landed, security personnel -  both foreign contractors and Iraqis - were everywhere. And we couldn't simply grab a taxi back to the bureau; we had to sit and wait for escorts to make their way through numerous checkpoints in order to collect us.

When they did arrive - wearing body armour and carrying sidearms - we were put into flak jackets ourselves, hustled into the waiting armoured cars, and briefed on what we should do in the event of the vehicle coming under attack.

The following day, we set out to collect press credentials from CPIC (the Combined Press and Information Centre). That five-and-a-half-hour obstacle race began with getting out of the car next to an opening in the blast walls of a US military base, and walking down the protected path, past watching Iraqi army troops, to join a 15-man queue.

At the door, Ugandan security contractors under the employ of Triple Canopy checked passports and documents through the chain link fence. No phones allowed from this point onwards - batteries must be taken out.

As they let people in, one by one, each emptied their pockets into a basket before being frisked. If you were an Iraqi man, you were likely to suffer the misfortune - if not the insult - of having every piece of paper in your wallet picked through, and a very thorough patdown.

That was only the first hoop. Going down the barbed-wire corridor, we had at least three more checks by a mix of Peruvians and Iraqis, before getting to the holding area, where we waited for our escort to the CPIC.

Lots of waiting

At CPIC we jotted our names down, were given forms to fill out, had our pictures taken, and waited a half hour or so to be called.

Once summoned, the administrator checked our info, made copies of our passports, work credentials and an additional picture ID.

Then more waiting ... they courteously had coffee, pop tarts, and two (rather slow but) functioning computers in back, as well as numerous crossword books and Daniel Steele novels to wile away our time on - still no phone use though.

It was another hour and a half before a US military administrator called me in.

She proceeded to take photos of me from five angles and scan my fingerprints - first my thumbs, then four fingers on one hand, then four fingers on the other, then all five digits individually rolled across the scanner, then forefingers and thumbs again on another scanner. After that, it was retinal scans.

By the time I and my colleague were done, most of the working day seemed to be too.

Two of us, being foreigners, walked out with our CPIC press credentials in hand. Our Iraqi colleagues would have to come back in five days' time (through all the security once again) in order to collect the cards.

Thus, with those first two days, it became evident that the biggest obstacle to reporting in Iraq today is not the danger of kidnapping and attacks, but rather, the coils of security procedures in place.

While in Iraq, everyone I spoke to back home - whether over phone, email, or instant messenger - told me to “stay safe”. Not to belittle the risk - 100 mortars were fired on election day - but I think the precautions we took were sufficient.

We wore body armour when we left the compound, never stayed in a spot for very long, and tried only to go out when necessary (I was told to think “I could die on this trip – is it worth it?”). Our compound too, felt secure – to get in meant passing through at least 3-4 security checks and gates.

What all this boils down to, though, is that as much emphasis is put on safety as doing the job you're there to do. Reporting trips are well-planned, not spontaneous (there's no chasing breaking news). And getting into the International Zone (IZ - the re-branded Green Zone) for news conferences requires you to leave well in advance, just in case they're being strict with security. Our movements to the IZ were further limited because we only had clearance to get one car in.

Telecommunications weren't a great substitute for in-person interviews, either. In the Baghdad bureau, most of us were rarely able to get calls on our Zain (formerly Iraqna) phones due to connection errors and an overstretched network. I got better signal in a helicopter.

So here again is why I have to say, credit is due to those who report in the country, day in and day out, despite these obstacles.

Leaving Baghdad was, naturally, like everything else. We left at 12:15pm for a 4:30pm flight, encountered multiple checkpoints, had our bags sniffed by apparently apathetic canines twice, and then X-rayed at least three times. Other than that, check-in was smooth, and we had plenty of time for duty free.