Review: Where War Lives

Where War Lives, by PaulWatson.
[rating:5/5]

Watson is the Canadian journalist who took the photograph of a Somali mob dragging a US soldier through the streets of Mogadishu during the disastrous Operation Gothic Serpent (Blackhawk Down). The photo won the Pulitzer prize. As he writes of the moment of exposure:

In less than the time it took to breathe, I had to decide whether to steal a dead man’s last shred of dignity. The moment of choice, in the swirl of dust and sweat, hatred and fear, is still trapped in my mind denying me peace: just as I was about to press the shutter on my camera, the world went quiet, everything around me melted into a slow-motion blur, and I heard the voice: If you do this, I will own you forever.

As Watson tries to reconcile the profound effects of his photograph, he recounts experiences covering conflict throughout the world, including Iraq, where he narrowly escapes death by the hands of a mob:

Faces pressed in. Children laughed. Men shouted and spat on me. The image of Cleveland’s body lying in the Mogadishu dirt flashed through my mind, and I wondered: “Is he coming to take me now?” A hand thrust into my pocket and grabbed my cash. Another snatched the lens from the grip of my trembling knees. Like an animal acting on instinct, I focused all my energy into holding on to the cameras…

Following Watson in his quest to make sense of it all, I read this book in one go. To fully understand the impact of his photograph, here’s some boasting by Osama bin Laden (from Watson’s book):

“When tens of your soldiers were killed in minor battles and one America Pilot was dragged in the streets of Mogadishu, you left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat, and your dead with you. Clinton appeared in front of the whole world threatening and promising revenge, but these threats were merely a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear.”

Where War Lives, by PaulWatson.
[rating:5/5]