A Tough Place To Be A Journalist
This column was written by The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
An Iraqi cameraman and sound man who worked for ABC News were killed Thursday in Baghdad. They were on their way home when they were ambushed.
Working for a news organization is a dangerous business in Iraq — especially if you are an Iraqi. About 100 Iraq journalists have been killed since the war began. CBS News employs a number of Iraqis who quite simply can go places we can't.
Last May when I was in Baghdad, it was an Iraqi crew that came into our bureau one day with an interview from a Mahdi Army assassin. Incredible. And while I slept that night in the relative safety of our armed compound, these Iraqis went home to their families in Baghdad neighborhoods where death is a daily occurrence.
Most of our Iraqi employees try to keep their occupations secret from their neighbors, because in Iraq, working for a news organization makes you the enemy.
Harry's daily commentary can be heard on many CBS Radio News affiliates across the country.