I began covering war for National Geographic in 2006 and I never got to
Geographic in 2006 and I never got to
Geographic in 2006 and I never got to Kurdistan during that part of the war
Kurdistan during that part of the war
Kurdistan during that part of the war and in fact I really didn’t have any
and in fact I really didn’t have any
and in fact I really didn’t have any idea who the Kurds war were back then
idea who the Kurds war were back then
idea who the Kurds war were back then and I happened to meet some wounded
and I happened to meet some wounded
and I happened to meet some wounded Kurdish soldiers in Baghdad and I
Kurdish soldiers in Baghdad and I
Kurdish soldiers in Baghdad and I started to think who are these guys I’ve
started to think who are these guys I’ve
started to think who are these guys I’ve never even heard of them where they live
never even heard of them where they live
never even heard of them where they live and so going north to Kurdistan after
and so going north to Kurdistan after
and so going north to Kurdistan after covering the war in the South it was
covering the war in the South it was
covering the war in the South it was like going to a different country I
like going to a different country I
like going to a different country I think the story of the Kurds is one of
think the story of the Kurds is one of
think the story of the Kurds is one of the most important ones I’ve ever been
the most important ones I’ve ever been
the most important ones I’ve ever been involved with
involved with
involved with because these are people who’ve been
because these are people who’ve been
because these are people who’ve been largely left alone to face the greatest
largely left alone to face the greatest
largely left alone to face the greatest terrorist threat in the world and
terrorist threat in the world and
terrorist threat in the world and they’re an important they have been an
they’re an important they have been an
they’re an important they have been an important American ally but after the
important American ally but after the
important American ally but after the Iraq war sort of slowed down we the
Iraq war sort of slowed down we the
Iraq war sort of slowed down we the Americans left them to their own fate
Americans left them to their own fate
Americans left them to their own fate and now they’re standing strong against
and now they’re standing strong against
and now they’re standing strong against Isis and very few other groups can do
Isis and very few other groups can do
Isis and very few other groups can do that I’d like people to learn from this
that I’d like people to learn from this
that I’d like people to learn from this show more about the Kurds who they are
show more about the Kurds who they are
show more about the Kurds who they are what they’re facing and why they’re
what they’re facing and why they’re
what they’re facing and why they’re going to be an important ally for the
going to be an important ally for the
going to be an important ally for the West going forward they are facing an
West going forward they are facing an
West going forward they are facing an enormous challenge right now in trying
enormous challenge right now in trying
enormous challenge right now in trying to keep their country stable while they
to keep their country stable while they
to keep their country stable while they fight off this enormous enemy and we
fight off this enormous enemy and we
fight off this enormous enemy and we even the United States hasn’t really had
even the United States hasn’t really had
even the United States hasn’t really had to do something like that and it’s
to do something like that and it’s
to do something like that and it’s history so it’s a unique struggle and I
history so it’s a unique struggle and I
history so it’s a unique struggle and I think Americans will sympathize greatly
think Americans will sympathize greatly
think Americans will sympathize greatly with burns the most lasting impact was
with burns the most lasting impact was
with burns the most lasting impact was made by a few the people that I
made by a few the people that I
made by a few the people that I interviewed including a female commander
interviewed including a female commander
interviewed including a female commander of the women’s battalion and she had
of the women’s battalion and she had
of the women’s battalion and she had recently lost a daughter while they were
recently lost a daughter while they were
recently lost a daughter while they were both together fighting Isis so mother
both together fighting Isis so mother
both together fighting Isis so mother and daughter were fighting on the same
and daughter were fighting on the same
and daughter were fighting on the same front line daughter was under the
front line daughter was under the
front line daughter was under the mother’s command and the daughter was
mother’s command and the daughter was
mother’s command and the daughter was killed by mortar fire and that was an
killed by mortar fire and that was an
killed by mortar fire and that was an incredibly powerful story to hear
incredibly powerful story to hear
incredibly powerful story to hear because it’s not every day that you meet
because it’s not every day that you meet
because it’s not every day that you meet someone who has given so much to defend
someone who has given so much to defend
someone who has given so much to defend their homeland
their homeland
their homeland when I hear Isis makes me angry actually
when I hear Isis makes me angry actually
when I hear Isis makes me angry actually this struggle comes closest to good
this struggle comes closest to good
this struggle comes closest to good versus evil it’s almost silly to
versus evil it’s almost silly to
versus evil it’s almost silly to describe anything in such stark terms
describe anything in such stark terms
describe anything in such stark terms but Isis is not an enemy that you
but Isis is not an enemy that you
but Isis is not an enemy that you negotiate and it makes me angry to think
negotiate and it makes me angry to think
negotiate and it makes me angry to think what they have done and especially after
what they have done and especially after
what they have done and especially after meeting people friends now who’ve lost
meeting people friends now who’ve lost
meeting people friends now who’ve lost family members to the fight against Isis
family members to the fight against Isis
family members to the fight against Isis it actually pushes you out of the
it actually pushes you out of the
it actually pushes you out of the journalistic objectivity thing a bit and
journalistic objectivity thing a bit and
journalistic objectivity thing a bit and there are many times when I thought I
there are many times when I thought I
there are many times when I thought I would have gladly joined the Kurds to
would have gladly joined the Kurds to
would have gladly joined the Kurds to fight against Isis myself
”
Be First to Comment