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ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: HOT ZONE DOCUMENTARY

Hot Zone Documentary, Chapter Five: Iraq

'A World of Conflict,' the documentary about the Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone project, is being shown here in its entirety, one chapter each week.

By the Hot Zone Team, Mon Oct 29, 9:13 PM ET

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Chapter Five: Iraq
A year after the Nov. 2004 Battle of Fallujah, Kevin Sites returned to Iraq to gauge progress on a different fight in the turbulent city: rebuilding and improving security. Sites also visited the Kurdish-controlled north, a region bustling economically but facing hard choices as it integrates with the new Iraq. Kevin's report from Saddam Hussein's intelligence headquarters in northern Iraq where Kurds were tortured and killed — now a museum — illustrates the painful memories ethnic groups must overcome if Iraq is to unify.

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"A World of Conflict" is the documentary about the "Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone" project, in which veteran war correspondent Kevin Sites reported from every major global conflict in one year, in an effort to understand the costs of a world perpetually at war.

We are highlighting one chapter of the documentary each week in chronological order, allowing you to see the film in its entirety — exclusively online.

The documentary contains searing, never-before-seen images of combat and its lingering impact on civil society, beginning with the anarchy of Somalia in September 2005 and culminating with the explosive war between Israel and Hezbollah in summer 2006.

The documentary is included with Sites' new book, "In the Hot Zone: One Man. One Year. Twenty Wars." (The Harper Perennial paperback original is available now at Amazon.com and at book stores.)

Next: Hot Zone Documentary, Chapter Six: Lebanon
Previous: Hot Zone Documentary, Chapter Four: Uganda
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Comments

Join the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.

1
As a vetean who served in Iraq, this Hot Zone relating to Iraq is very vague. There is no understanding to what is happening, and why.
Posted by robertholloway975 on Wed, Nov 7, 2007 11:30 AM ET
2
thats tite man u like it????
Posted by littleron90305 on Wed, Nov 7, 2007 3:07 PM ET
3
Everyone has an agenda. Take these docudirectionals with a grain of salt. When a senator, reporter, Hollywood activist, or even a general go to Iraq, they gain street 'cred'. I don't think that they get the whole picture most of the time. The reporters that slept 50 feet away from me in the hot zone were a million miles away in regard to perspective and real time intelligence. They often did not know what was going on right down the road although we all knew. They seemed interested in things that we found to be irrelevant and off the mark. I think Kevin knows the real deal but reports with the slant that his employers or maybe his intended audience desires. I know some of the Iraqi Kurds and can say that they are excellent people. I am sure that they were honest and most hospitable to Kevin. I did not appreciate being sucked in to that story then hit with the Abu Ghraib sucker punch.
Posted by richard_medellin on Fri, Nov 9, 2007 3:22 AM ET
4
Everyone has an agenda. Take these vids with a grain of salt. When a senator, reporter, Hollywood activist, or even a general go to Iraq, they gain street 'cred'. I don't think that they get the whole picture most of the time. The reporters that slept 50 feet away from me in the hot zone were a million miles away in regard to perspective and real time intelligence. They often did not know what was going on right down the road although we all knew. They seemed interested in things that we found to be irrelevant and off the mark. I think Kevin knows the real deal but reports with the slant that his employers or maybe his intended audience desires. I know some of the Iraqi Kurds and can say that they are excellent people. I am sure that they were honest and most hospitable to Kevin. I did not appreciate being sucked in to that story then hit with the Abu Ghraib sucker punch.
Posted by richard_medellin on Fri, Nov 9, 2007 3:23 AM ET
5
Everyone has an agenda. Take these docudirectionals with a grain of salt. When a senator, reporter, Hollywood activist, or even a general go to Iraq, they gain street 'cred'. I don't think that they get the whole picture most of the time. The reporters that slept 50 feet away from me in the hot zone were a million miles away in regard to perspective and real time intelligence. They often did not know what was going on right down the road although we all knew. They seemed interested in things that we found to be irrelevant and off the mark. I think Kevin knows the real deal but reports with the slant that his employers or maybe his intended audience desires. I know some of the Iraqi Kurds and can say that they are excellent people. I am sure that they were honest and most hospitable to Kevin. Tell their story not the divisive U.S. politacal rant. I did not appreciate being sucked in to that story then hit with the Abu Ghraib sucker punch.
Posted by richard_medellin on Fri, Nov 9, 2007 3:38 AM ET
6
This was so cryptic. Though I was shown some footage and such, I do not have any better understanding of the Iraq conflict. Everyone seems to view the same conflict through a slightly different lens and with a slightly different purpose, Sites' purpose seems more dedicated to sympathizing with random people he bumps into, not understanding their reasoning for behaving in the manner they choose (what I was hoping for).
Posted by mrtasabii on Fri, Nov 9, 2007 4:50 AM ET
7
u and all u troops are my heros by the way u r SEXY:)
Posted by damn_ma22 on Fri, Nov 9, 2007 12:31 PM ET
8
I found it very disturbing that a Marine was unable to do his job because you were there. What does that say about our media spinning the story to fit their political agenda. Embedded reporters are not the answer. When was the last time you reported on a school opening, women moving up in the work place, political good turns? There is more happening in Iraq than what you and your employers want the general public to see.
Posted by bowlingballhead2003 on Fri, Nov 9, 2007 1:02 PM ET
9
This man has an agenda, that is obvious. As a 2 tour vet of Viet Nam, it is difficult to watch some of it. The video of the marine shooting the man is a perfect example of his agenda. Make a huge splash in the press, without telling the whole story. Did the marine see a weapon? Did he feel his life was in danger? It is very hard to turn down the adrenaline in a fire fight. What would not be perceived as a threat in a normal patrol mode, may be interpreted totally differently in the heat of battle. It is not just black and white out there. It is a shame that the focus of most of the reporting is on the negative, the death of innocents, bombs off target, etc. What about all the good that is done, and is being done every day??? Where is the reporting of that??
Posted by skudera on Sun, Nov 11, 2007 4:05 AM ET
10
It would be a wonderful thing if freedom was free but it is not. Freedom only comes with a high price, the sacifice of those who are already free and brave to step up to the plate and do the same for others that at some point in their past was done for them. Paying the price for that freedom is not always quick or pretty....it can be hard work, one must get their hands dirty....cry tears...as if in labor to bring forth this new freedom to those less fortunate than ourselves here in America. My only son fights for the freedoms of people in need...to him and all soldiers thur out time....you are my heros.
Posted by pulverpam on Mon, Nov 12, 2007 8:46 AM ET

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One Man. One Year. A World of Conflict.

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in memoriam

The Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone team dedicates this site to Marla Ruzicka, a fearless voice of compassion, who was killed in Iraq on April 16, 2005, while trying to lessen the suffering of others. For more information, see Civic Worldwide.