What happened in the Fallujah mosque

This story was originally published on Nov. 22, 2004

Since the shooting in the mosque, I've been haunted that I have not been able to tell you directly what I saw or explain the process by which the world came to see it as well. As you know, I'm not some war-zone tourist with a camera who doesn't understand that ugly things happen in combat. I've spent most of the last five years covering global conflict. But I have never in my career been a "gotcha" reporter -- hoping for people to commit wrongdoings so I can catch them at it.

This week I've even been shocked to see myself painted as some kind of anti-war activist. Anyone who has seen my reporting on television or has read my dispatches is fully aware of the lengths I've gone to play it straight down the middle -- not to become a tool of propaganda for the left or the right.

But I find myself a lightning rod for controversy in reporting what I saw occur in front of me, camera rolling.

It's time you have the facts from me, in my own words, about what I saw -- without imposing on that Marine -- guilt or innocence or anything in between. I want you to read my account and make up your own minds about whether you think what I did was right or wrong. All the other armchair analysts don't mean a damn to me.

Here it goes.

MORE FROM CONFLICT IN IRAQ

Conflict in Iraq Section Front

U.S. troops kill Iraqi editor's son, 14 U.S.: Iraq insurgency has lost its clout Suicide blast kills 8 U.S.-allied forces Newsweek: McCain vs. Obama on surge Military warned over fatal military vehicle Iraq banned from Beijing Summer Olympics Iraqi presidential council rejects elections law Newsweek: Living with 'peace' in Iraq Conflict in Iraq Section Front   Add Conflict in Iraq headlines to your news reader: