Video: Baghdad Happens
posted at 10:39 am on March 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
JD Johannes, one of the few independent war correspondents who deliver the real story from the front lines, has a new documentary for his Outside the Wire series. He takes us on patrol in search of a terrorist in Iraq, embedded with American troops operating in a newly-pacified capital. When a previously-unknown pool of sewage disrupts the plan at the beginning, it only means one thing — Baghdad Happens, baby:
No plan survives first contact with the enemy, even when that “enemy” turns out to be a river of effluvium. And as JD points out, that’s sometimes a very, very good thing.
JD gives us a great step-by-step narration of the mission, using his wry sense of humor and more than a little insouciance from his position at a bar. The interviews with the soldiers involved in the mission give us a sense of their dedication and training, and the actual footage taken by JD puts the audience right with them as they carefully work their way through a Baghdad neighborhood. Will they capture their terrorist target — and what else will they find? Be sure to watch and find out!
JD will be my guest on Thursday’s Ed Morrissey Show. We’ll talk about Baghdad Happens, Outside the Wire, and the direction of the war. Don’t miss it!
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great stuff, thanks for the heads up…
sorry to sidetrack Ed, but fyi…
in other (unreported by MSM) news, we’re hearing nary a peep about the skells in Oakland celebrating Saturday’s unfathomable loss of life in the PD…this story buries the fact that “about 20″ were committing the unthinkable act of disrespect… what do you bet it was more like “about 100″?
http://www.huliq.com/3257/78768/payback-oscar-grant-onlookers-cheer-oakland-pd-deaths
“Meanwhile about 20 people taunted police near the scene of the first shooting, saying the incidents were “payback for Oscar.”
max1 on March 23, 2009 at 10:44 AM
I like the pink silk tie. You gotta be secure about some things to wear a pink silk tie.
AubieJon on March 23, 2009 at 10:48 AM
My son says that’s a line for arm chair generals. In real combat (which he has been in more than not the last 4 years) a plan gives you an outline to work with.
bnelson44 on March 23, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Speaking from personal experience their is alot of stuff you just cant help but laugh at when your “outside the wire” war and combat is a funny thing (not funny ha ha). When things go sideways its sometimes pretty easy to find a dark humor to it.
Dragoonchris on March 23, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Damn, Ed. I had to look that one up.
Word of the day.
BacaDog on March 23, 2009 at 11:29 AM
I think that’s the point. If you have the mindeset that the step by step survives first contact with the enemy, then you can more easily adapt to situations than thinking of it as a step by step manual.
If you think of the plan as an outline, you can change it up when things don’t go the way you thought it would.
I think both of those statements essentially mean the same thing.
soccercheese on March 23, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Detective Lacey Goes to war… war deserves more respect than punchy theme songs… this is serious $h!t people, not a marketing game. young men and women are dead… you don’t sell DVD’s of war… if it’s news it’s free!if it’s not news than it doesn’t belong in war.
Kaptain Amerika on March 23, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Death by sewage is no laughing matter and common in the Middle East because they have crappy government that can’t even provide for the basic needs of their people because they are obsessed with the Joooos.
Blake on March 23, 2009 at 1:24 PM
I like all those French words Monsieur Morrisey!
americanfrenchie on March 23, 2009 at 2:51 PM