Finally, a uncensored website giving a rare look into the worlds war zones. A big relief from the average newscast.

I look forward to Kevin's brilliant reporting. How conforting to know we will be getting unbiased news. It's time to stop the censorship being imposed on the networks.

Some of the "hottest zones" and behine the scenes will never be seen by most. Although I am not a journalist, I have taken some of the most unique photographs while working in Nuba Mountains, Central Sudan while with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA); working out of Gardez in the southeastern provinces of Afghanistan and most recently Iraq. Alot of men like myself have compelling stories about the people we met and the experiences thereof. Good luck on the site to provide to the "average" person doing his/her 40 hours per week, a peek at what it is like to be "on the line" each and everyday...rh

Glad to see Kevin Sites back. I commend him for his courage in reporting that awful incident(s) about the wounded Iraquis - posing no threat - being shot to death. Though I kept lookin for Kevin and wondering where he was after that report, I kind of knew I wouldn't see him on MSNBC and affiliates. After all, aren't they owned by GE? And isn't GE raking it in from this war? Thank you again, Kevin, for your courage in reporting the TRUTH - the WHOLE truth!

I just wanted to commend you for having the courage to ask difficult questions that many Americans do not want to hear the answers to. Often times, we can turn a blind eye to the desperation that exists in many parts of the world. That having been said, I think your piece on Somali was very one sided, and that you compromised your journalistic integrity by making so much of your piece anecdotal and without rebuttal. You report the Somali perspective as though it were absolutely true simply because they said it. To ask your readers to believe this without skepticism is no different than our own government asking us to belive their account simply because they say its true. Your report should include perspectives from all sides, instead of emotionally pandering to Somalis who, due to years of oppression from Somali warlords, express their anger and rage solely at the United States. I find your comments regarding the elder clans meeting especially underhanded and unjournalistic. You state that the meeting was published in the local newspaper, as if all the U.S. military had to do was read the paper to be able to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. You imply both that the military was incompetent and that it only has itself to blame for the later deaths of U.S. service members during the battle for mogadishu. If you are going to make such assertions, at least come right out and say them, and provide some supporting evidence, other than accounts from those most anxious to avoid sharing responsibility for these event; Somalis. Despite my objections to the many inaccuracies of the piece, its worth saying that anyone who ventures to find the truth, and raise the level of discourse on a given subject, as you have attempted to do with Somalia, takes his commitment to world citizenship very seriously.

I'm glad to see Kevin is posting freely now. I had a chance to meet him in Oregon when he accepted an award for media ethics and I look forward to what he has in store for us in the future.

Hopefully, Kevin and the HotZone will prove to be a model template--a turning point in the current media ecosystem. The presentation of the world from the bottom up (instead of via our preformatted industries) while being viable to advertising is imperative in this worldwide culture of capitalism. Good luck with the new venture. Good luck with the new venture.

Kevin, I feel for the single individual who can't bear to look at the crash site. However, what about her 25,000 plus neighbors a year since then that have been brought to my hometown area here in the heart of the usa. Who have been given a totally free ride. Food, housing, vehicles, business loans, tax breaks and on and on. My city IS Little Somalia. Ethnic movements abound us. As the population of Somalians continues to grow and grow here in Columbus, Ohio. There are areas that reveal scenes that would have you thinking you were in Somalia, and then you realize you are here. Had a young lady in the drivers license bureau yesterday. She refused to remove her hejab. Caused all kind of commotion saying that we were being prejudiced over her. Now I ask you, where do we draw the line? What good is a drivers license that shows a photo of a completely covered up face? That would be the same as if I went in to renew my drivers license with a ski mask on... I can barely feed my own family. I work hard and I employ 3 other people who work very hard to make ends meet. Not a single one of us, has ever owned a lexus, a mercedes, or a bmw. But I see Somalians driving around in these new vehicles daily and in abundance. Myself and my neighbors can't afford to eat steaks and good wholesome foods on a daily basis. We can barely afford the basic necessities. Yet, I stand in the grocery line and get blown away by the outrageous amount of food these guys are purchasing with a foodstamp card. It would be one thing, if the local people here who were born and raised here could afford the same luxuries, but I see hard working Americans struggling to get by and I see the immigrants, here it is the Somalians, without a single concern, because our own government has given them everything. What in the world are we as Americans doing? Why are there so many Somalians living in Columbus, Ohio? Why are you over there writing reports about a single individual, when the rest of them are living next door to me right here?! How many millions of tax payers dollars have been spent in bringing them here and supporting them. Is it true that they don't have to pay taxes for seven years? And if it is true. Is it true that they can transfer businesses into newer immigrants names and continue to not pay taxes beyond that seven year term. This is what my Somalian neighbors are telling me. Sounds to me like you are in the wrong part of the world to be doing a report on Somalian/American relations. That was over ten years ago. Now the story is here on our own soil. Sincerely- Dave

Welcome back, your blogs have been missed

Hmmm.......so suddenly we're all going to get unbiased reporting and the "truth" are we? Whose version thereof? The Mogadishu report was lightweight, anecdotal and painted the US as the great Satan again. Warlords bragging of raking in $40k (a day?) in shakedowns in a nation so impoverished beggars belief, especially when the locals don't seem to be able to pin the blame on anyone other than the US of A. The locals are nearly all Muslims and unless I'm mistaken the Koran has some pretty harsh words and punishments for thieves yet these guys and their "armies" go unpunished. The only real way to have dealt with them would have been by means of overwhelming firepower, deployed with sufficient force until the job was done. Nobody would have disposed of Hitler and co. by staging a few token actions while promising not to take casualties. That "war" option however was deemed "unacceptable" by a press that believes it runs the decision process and which has fed the public with the idea that no matter how implacable the enemy you can always get him to negotiate around to your point of view, failing which "war can be quick, low in casualties and if it's not over in a week let's call it off". The people of Somalia are still starving, still exploited, the UN has virtually failed them and all of that is no longer hot news. As for the anecdotal bit about "the meeting of elders (who might even have been about to vote to unseat that bad boy warlord!) being advertised in the local paper" pull the other one! Or maybe the meeting was well-known locally for just that - then feed the American crusaders some disinformation that the chief bad-boy would be there: bingo he gets rid of all those troublesome elders and the Yanks get a shed load of bad vibes! Either way lots more possibilities/probabilities than the single aspect reported. By the way: could anyone tell me where journalists et al invest their pension funds etc? Where their employers raise the money to fund them and their high tech support gear and backroom crews? Does it come from carefully placed ethical investment in these underdog states and countries or does it come from the wealth accrued from domestic and foreign policy/investment of their rich parent country? Bit about biting the hand that feeds you? You don't have to be beholden, but it would be nice to be slightly less holier than thou whilst having/building a well-feathered nest in a rich country.