00.07 The burnt out remnants of a US army vehicle stands as another bloody witness to the ongoing resistance against the Occupiers. The US soldiers can only watch in resignation: attacks like this are now a part of everyday life in Baghdad.
00,34 Ali Muhammed, eywitness
Muhajideens fired a grenade at the vehicle. The truck exploded. Then another resistance fighter poured petrol over it until everything was burned
00.45 US forces are now facing up to fifty attacks a day against them. More than 800 soldiers have died since the official end of hostilities a year ago.
00,57 Baghdad is still in the state of war. Tanks and military patrol everywhere. Greeted at first as liberators, the US has now very much turned into the occupiers. Soldiers here are no longer greeted joyously, the majority of allied contact with the Iraqi people is now as the subject of hate attacks. Together with the new Iraqi army the Americans are trying hard to combat the resistance. But the enemy doesn’t wear a uniform, soldiers have no way of knowing who is a fighter and who is a civilian. An attack could happen at any time.
01,32 The majority of the journalists still in Iraq, like Washington Post correspondent Pamela Constable, are based here, at the Sheraton Hotel Palestine complex.
01,48 O.T. Pamela Constable, Correspondent, Washington post
This time its much more difficult.
02,33 The resistance movement has taken Falluja as its heart. Here the Muhajideen, not US soldiers, control the roads, after US forces were forced to withdraw and encircle the city. The resistance positions are bombed from a safe distance by F 16 combat aircraft fighters.
02,50 O.T (attack)
In the name of Allah and the Prophet Mohamed, we fight for our liberty. We sacrifice our life for the Islam. We will triumph and the Occupiers out from our country will drive.
03.01 During the most ferocious period of fighting, Pamela Constable was embedded with US troops.
03,17 O.T. Pamela Constable
03,35 The marines were forced to clear the streets, shooting at anyone that moved. Civilian victims were commonplace.
03,47 O.T. Pamela Constable
04,21 According to statistics, at least 900 civilians, including 165 women and 130 children, died in the firefights in Falluja. Many homes were destroyed.
04.40 The cemetery is full of fresh graves.
05.05 Pamela Constable didn’t experience any of that. But she did save a dog.
05,13 O.T. Pamela Constable
05,43 Many foreigners were taken hostage in Falluja, particularly from pro-war countries like Japan.
05,67 Aika Kanou was also in Falluja at the height of the rebellion. She only just managed to avoid becoming a hostage herself.
06,06 O.T. Aika Kanou, photo lady journalist, Friday magazine, Japan
07,09 Her colleague Kazumitsu Ono, also involved, remains defiant. For him, it’s all part of the job.
07,19 O.T. Kazumitsu Ono, reporter Japan
07,40 The situation for journalists in Iraq is now extremely dangerous. Reporters are in constant fear for their life. Western journalists are not seen positively here any more, just as American stooges.
07,55 Briton Leigh Gordon is getting married today. He fell in love with Iraqi journalist Arsha whom he met whilst reporting for London’s Sunday Telegraph.
Baghdad’s registry office hasn’t changed a bit from the way it was under Saddam.
08,12 O.T. Leigh Gordon, reporter, Sunday telegraph, UK
08,31 *********** (tells us about his last job, covering Saddam’s Hangman)
08,44 O.T. Leigh Gordon
09,17 Leigh Gordon was also in Falluja during the worst fighting. As he tried to leave the city, he was taken hostage by rebel fighters.
09,25 O.T. Leigh Gordon
10.22 Back at Baghdad’s registry office, Gordon is converted officially to Islam, the only way for him to marry an Iraqi. For the reporter, becoming a muslim has other advantages: it could protect him from becoming a hostage again.
10,40 O,T, Leigh Gordon of
11,05 It’s a central part of war reporting to be in constant touch with suffering and death. It’s a difficult cognitive task to get to grips with such images of devastation, and they are never forgotten.
11,17 O.T. Leigh Gordon
11,58 Even in the midst of hell, Gordon has clung onto his very British sense of humour. It’s perhaps as well, since the beginning of the Iraq war 25 journalists have been killed practising their art. Who know, maybe this reporter will be next…
Report: Gerhard Tuschla
camera: Philip Birkenstock
cut: Werner Schmeisser
00,34 Ali Muhammed, eywitness
Muhajideens fired a grenade at the vehicle. The truck exploded. Then another resistance fighter poured petrol over it until everything was burned
00.45 US forces are now facing up to fifty attacks a day against them. More than 800 soldiers have died since the official end of hostilities a year ago.
00,57 Baghdad is still in the state of war. Tanks and military patrol everywhere. Greeted at first as liberators, the US has now very much turned into the occupiers. Soldiers here are no longer greeted joyously, the majority of allied contact with the Iraqi people is now as the subject of hate attacks. Together with the new Iraqi army the Americans are trying hard to combat the resistance. But the enemy doesn’t wear a uniform, soldiers have no way of knowing who is a fighter and who is a civilian. An attack could happen at any time.
01,32 The majority of the journalists still in Iraq, like Washington Post correspondent Pamela Constable, are based here, at the Sheraton Hotel Palestine complex.
01,48 O.T. Pamela Constable, Correspondent, Washington post
This time its much more difficult.
02,33 The resistance movement has taken Falluja as its heart. Here the Muhajideen, not US soldiers, control the roads, after US forces were forced to withdraw and encircle the city. The resistance positions are bombed from a safe distance by F 16 combat aircraft fighters.
02,50 O.T (attack)
In the name of Allah and the Prophet Mohamed, we fight for our liberty. We sacrifice our life for the Islam. We will triumph and the Occupiers out from our country will drive.
03.01 During the most ferocious period of fighting, Pamela Constable was embedded with US troops.
03,17 O.T. Pamela Constable
03,35 The marines were forced to clear the streets, shooting at anyone that moved. Civilian victims were commonplace.
03,47 O.T. Pamela Constable
04,21 According to statistics, at least 900 civilians, including 165 women and 130 children, died in the firefights in Falluja. Many homes were destroyed.
04.40 The cemetery is full of fresh graves.
05.05 Pamela Constable didn’t experience any of that. But she did save a dog.
05,13 O.T. Pamela Constable
05,43 Many foreigners were taken hostage in Falluja, particularly from pro-war countries like Japan.
05,67 Aika Kanou was also in Falluja at the height of the rebellion. She only just managed to avoid becoming a hostage herself.
06,06 O.T. Aika Kanou, photo lady journalist, Friday magazine, Japan
07,09 Her colleague Kazumitsu Ono, also involved, remains defiant. For him, it’s all part of the job.
07,19 O.T. Kazumitsu Ono, reporter Japan
07,40 The situation for journalists in Iraq is now extremely dangerous. Reporters are in constant fear for their life. Western journalists are not seen positively here any more, just as American stooges.
07,55 Briton Leigh Gordon is getting married today. He fell in love with Iraqi journalist Arsha whom he met whilst reporting for London’s Sunday Telegraph.
Baghdad’s registry office hasn’t changed a bit from the way it was under Saddam.
08,12 O.T. Leigh Gordon, reporter, Sunday telegraph, UK
08,31 *********** (tells us about his last job, covering Saddam’s Hangman)
08,44 O.T. Leigh Gordon
09,17 Leigh Gordon was also in Falluja during the worst fighting. As he tried to leave the city, he was taken hostage by rebel fighters.
09,25 O.T. Leigh Gordon
10.22 Back at Baghdad’s registry office, Gordon is converted officially to Islam, the only way for him to marry an Iraqi. For the reporter, becoming a muslim has other advantages: it could protect him from becoming a hostage again.
10,40 O,T, Leigh Gordon of
11,05 It’s a central part of war reporting to be in constant touch with suffering and death. It’s a difficult cognitive task to get to grips with such images of devastation, and they are never forgotten.
11,17 O.T. Leigh Gordon
11,58 Even in the midst of hell, Gordon has clung onto his very British sense of humour. It’s perhaps as well, since the beginning of the Iraq war 25 journalists have been killed practising their art. Who know, maybe this reporter will be next…
Report: Gerhard Tuschla
camera: Philip Birkenstock
cut: Werner Schmeisser