Jamail, a former volunteer Alaska mountain rescue ranger, decided to see for
himself what the war in Iraq looked and "tasted" like. During the
early years of the war, he traveled and lived among the people; something he
says would be impossible today because of the sheer danger.
The book includes pictures, like the one on the cover, that serve to illustrate
the reality of life under occupation. These pictures, most taken by Jamail with
a small hand-held camera, are not the typical long-range shots of Baghdad seen
in American media. Instead, close-ups of frustration, mistrust, pain and despair
give the reader a glimpse into the lives of the Iraqis who have bared the brunt
of the ongoing occupation.
Among the many otherwise untold stories in Jamail's book is the incident at
the al-Shahid Adnan Kherala Secondary School for Boys. Shortly after the arrest
of Saddam Hussein, US forces and Iraqi Police put the school on lockdown, surrounding
it with armored vehicles. Sixteen students were arrested and jailed as a preemptive
measure to try and stop a pro-Saddam rally that was rumored to be scheduled
at the school for the next day. After the arrests, a small group of students
threw rocks at the US vehicles. In response, the troops opened fire, shooting
randomly at the crowd.
Evidence of torture, indiscriminate killings, and other possible war crimes
fill the pages. In his coverage of the battles of Fallujah, Jamail bore witness
to the use of chemical weapons against a civilian population by US forces.
The impression the experience left on him is permanent. He has taken this knowledge
and made it his personal mission to disseminate it. Jamail continues his work
by traveling around the country and giving presentations and lectures about
his experience.
For an archive of Jamail's writing and past interviews, or to purchase his
book, visit his web site.
Matt Renner is an assistant editor and Washington reporter for Truthout.
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