Iraq Coverage - Independent Journalist Dahr Jamail

Independent journalist, Dahr Jamail, provides comprehensive news coverage of Iraq at http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com.

The web site provides hard news articles, reports, photos, commentary, and a weblog. Moreover, web-site-visitors can subscribe to an e-mail list that distributes Dahr Jamail’s Dispatches almost daily.

Although Jamail writes straight news reports, many of his articles contain the human-interest angle. His extensive articles focus on the Iraqi people and their lives under military occupation.

One of Jamail’s recent articles, “Destroying Babylon,” describes the conditions of Iraq’s elections, slated January 30th. While most of the international media focuses on expatriate Iraqis’ participation in Iraq’s Out-of-Country Voting Program conducted by the International Organization for Migration; Jamail reports the physical, logistical, sociological, and psychological conditions of Iraq’s electorate. He explains:

“I say ‘elections’ because the Higher Commission for Elections announced that it won’t be releasing the names of the candidates prior to the ‘elections.’ With four of Iraq’s 18 governorates unable to participate in them, an estimated 90% of the Sunni population not voting, a sizeable amount of the Shia boycotting and a very large percentage of Iraqis unwilling to vote because of the horrendous security situation, calling them elections seems a bit of a stretch.”

The article continues about the destruction of an archaeological site by U.S. and Polish forces. Most media coverage does not report these aspects of the occupation.

Jamail covers the living conditions of Iraqis. He reports about the lack of security amid the violence through daily events; and he comments on the root-cause analysis of it. Sometimes, his loaded questions and declarations give answers.

Jamail interviews Iraqis and his writing reflects it. He interacts with the people and he reports his findings. Jamail’s thorough news coverage contains the voices of the Iraqi people.

Sonia Nettnin is a freelance writer. Her articles and reviews demonstrate civic journalism, with a focus on international social, economic, humanitarian, gender, and political issues. Media coverage of conflicts from these perspectives develops awareness in public opinion.

Nettnin received her bachelor's degree in English literature and writing. She did master's work in journalism. Moreover, Nettnin approaches her writing from a working woman's perspective, since working began for her at an early age.

She is a poet, a violinist and she studied professional dance. As a writer, the arts are an integral part of her sensibility. Her work has been published in the Palestine Chronicle, Scoop Media and the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. She lives in Chicago.

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