As we look at where Iraq is going, there is still a lot of debate about where it’s been. John Burns (search) was the New York Times senior correspondent in Baghdad in the months leading up to and including the war. He's an award-winning journalist admired by his colleagues.
But that admiration may turn sour after they read a book about how the war was covered. In the book, Mr. Burns talks about how journalists covered up the true horrors of the regime in order to suck up to officials in the government.
"There is such a thing as absolute evil. I think people just simply didn't recognize it. They rationalized it away." Why? "Because they judged that the only way they could keep themselves in play here was to pretend that [the regime] was okay."
Mr. Burns concludes with this warning: "There is corruption in our business. We need to get back to basics." Taking on Saddam Hussein's regime, as John Burns did, was one thing. But Mr. Burns may find that taking on the American media could be as challenging.
And that's the Asman Observer.
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