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March 04, 2008
Tuesday
 
 
The Slums of Fallujah
Perry de Havilland (London)  Blogging & Bloggers • Middle East & Islamic • Military affairs

If you do not regularly read Michael Totten's Middle East Journal, you really are missing out on something you just do not see in the MSM. He delivers straightforward reportage not just of The Big Issues when they happen but of the mundane realities of what it is to be in the Slums of Fallujah with the USMC.

Lieutenant Lappe overheard our conversation. I think he was worried that I was getting nervous. "No one can lay down an IED anymore without somebody calling it in," he said.

Very revealing.

If you like his stuff as much as I do, consider dropping your mouse on his PayPal button and support truly independent journalism.

Comments

Probably the saddest commentary about modern journalism today-

“There are no reporters in all of Fallujah, except Mike,” Captain Eastin said to his men when I first arrived. “So if he talks to you, talk to him. It's the only way to get our story out.”

Pathetic. Kudos to Mr. Totten. We are much better informed thanks to him. I consider it an honor to hit his tip jar when I can.


Posted by Tman at March 4, 2008 06:00 PM

Totten is magnificent and one of my first daily web-checks. I like his "ordinary man" approach. He just says what he sees unlike so many pumped up journos these days (who probably got no closer to the action than the local Sheriton).


Posted by Albion at March 4, 2008 07:37 PM

I think people like Michael Totten and a few others are a glimpse of future of journalism. I'm not sure exactly how it'll evolve but we may well be headed where we just don't need AP and Reuters and the 'News'papers in the way we once did.


Posted by Dusan Korlikov at March 4, 2008 09:24 PM
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