In March 2003, the American-led invasion of Iraq toppled the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. The war and the men and women who fought it were chronicled by journalists embedded with the troops.

On March 15, 2013, news editor and former correspondent for PRI's The World Aaron Schachter moderated a distinguished panel of journalists who reported from the front lines — including journalists Sebastian Junger and Bob Woodruff, photojournalist Rita Leistner, and US Army Col. Richard “Ross” Coffman — as they discussed and debated the role of journalists in war reporting.

The event took place at WGBH's Yawkey Auditorium in Boston.

PRI's The World is a co-production of Public Radio International, the BBC World Service and WGBH.

Find ongoing coverage of Iraq and Afghanistan at www.theworld.org

Embedded Journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan

I talked with a Hong Kong protester today who goes by the name of Fish Cheng.

At the barricades

After my story on Monday about how legendary Brooklyn pizzeria Totonno's is trying to rebuild and come back after super-storm Sandy, a lot of people said how charmed they were by the grand-daughter of the late Anthony "Totonno" Pero, Antoinette Balzano.  So here is an extended mix of the time I spent with Balzano, going around Coney Island, starting in front of Totonno's, going to the boardwalk, and returning back to the restaurant. We began by speaking about her grandfather.

Touring Coney Island with Antoinette Balzano of Totonno's Pizzeria

[<a href="https://soundcloud.com/theworld/sets/embedded-journalism-in-iraq">This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] 

This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] "(During the 2003 lead up to the Iraq invasion) we were going to bring all of the journalists that were going to go with us, and read them into the entire plan, weeks prior to the invasion.  And the reason this is done is, number one, they're going to be right beside us and deserve to know; and two, it was an extension of trust that says "We are going to let you in, and let you see everything that we're getting ready to do.  And we trust that you're not going to compromise the mission." - US Army Col. Richard "Ross" Coffman

Sebastian Junger, Bob Woodruff, Rita Leistner and Col. Ross Coffman talk with The World's Aaron Schachter on March 15, 2013

How reporters got to the war zone

[<a href="https://soundcloud.com/theworld/sets/embedded-journalism-in-iraq">This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] 

"Whenever you commit an act of journalism you are trying to connect to another person or a group of people, and that makes you vulnerable to their manipulation.  Or vulnerable to just kind seeing the world they way they do." - Sebastian Junger

Sebastian Junger, Bob Woodruff, Rita Leistner and Col. Ross Coffman talk with The World's Aaron Schachter on March 15, 2013

Does embedding slant the story?

[<a href="https://soundcloud.com/theworld/sets/embedded-journalism-in-iraq">This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] 


"(Technology) has been an incredible boon - (and led to) mixed results - to journalism, because anyone with a laptop, and a digital recorder...or a digital video camera can go out and be a war journalist." - Aaron Schachter

Sebastian Junger, Bob Woodruff, Rita Leistner and Col. Ross Coffman talk with The World's Aaron Schachter on March 15, 2013

How has technology changed war reporting?

[<a href="https://soundcloud.com/theworld/sets/embedded-journalism-in-iraq">This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] 

"If I'd wanted to write about the Korengal Valley, if that was my mission, there is no way I could have done it without the US military - I would have been killed immediately." - Sebastian Junger.

Sebastian Junger, Bob Woodruff, Rita Leistner and Col. Ross Coffman talk with The World's Aaron Schachter on March 15, 2013

Does embedding make it easier to report the war?

[<a href="https://soundcloud.com/theworld/sets/embedded-journalism-in-iraq">This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] 

"In the Army, or all of DOD (Dept. of Defense), any leader that's worth his salt, or her salt, wants to know if something wrong is going on, so we can fix it." - US Army Col. Richard "Ross" Coffman

Sebastian Junger, Bob Woodruff, Rita Leistner and Col. Ross Coffman talk with The World's Aaron Schachter on March 15, 2013


How has embedded journalism changed the conflict?

[<a href="https://soundcloud.com/theworld/sets/embedded-journalism-in-iraq">This is part of a panel discussion on embedded journalism in Iraq and Afghanistan</a>] 

"I really missed it (the war) out there.  I really missed it.  And a lot of the soldiers I was with sort of said the same thing - we'd go back there in a heartbeat.  This doesn't make sense here." - Sebastian Junger

"A lot of the injured (soldiers) that I know well, that became brothers and sisters of mine... especially want to go back, because they feel like they didn't finish their mission.  Combine it together with they're coming back to a life that is so much more boring than they ever would imagine it was going be again." - Bob Woodruff

Sebastian Junger, Bob Woodruff, Rita Leistner and Col. Ross Coffman talk with The World's Aaron Schachter on March 15, 2013

How do soldiers and reporters reconnect with life in the US?

Reporter Anders Kelto of PRI's The World talks about his radio and multimedia series, "School Year." Kelto is spending a year documenting the lives of students at a public high school in Cape Town, South Africa. The Centre of Science and Technology is a magnet school that serves families in the low-income township of Khayelitsha. &#13;
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Visit http://www.pri.org/school-year for more.

School Year

Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is. The World is heard on over 300 stations across North America.

How do soldiers and reporters reconnect with life in the US?

The World

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