Inside Fallujah: The Unembedded Story [Paperback]

Ahmed Mansour (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 22, 2009

A courageous work of journalism by the only reporter to remain in Fallujah during the US siege of the city.
In 2004, the United States waged one of the bloodiest battles of the Iraq war in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad. For many the city was a symbol of the resistance to the US war and occupation; since the battle it has become a symbol of the worst of the US­­-Iraq war. Only one television station--Al Jazeera--stayed in Fallujah to report on the battle, and the horrifying and heartbreaking images seen worldwide came from reporter Ahmed Mansour and cameraman Laith Mushtaq.

The images so outraged the world that the US military made Mansour's leaving Fallujah the first condition for a ceasefire. Donald Rumsfeld called his reporting "vicious and inaccurate," and argued that they were propagandists: "What they do is when a bomb goes down, they grab some children and some women and pretend that the bomb hit the women and children."
Here, for the first time in English, is the renowned reporter's own view of what happened inside Fallujah. It is the untold story of a defining battle that determined the future of the US occupation of Iraq; the story of a city that shattered US designs not only for Iraq but the region as a whole.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

American readers will learn a great deal about Arab perspectives on the war in Iraq from Mansour, an Egyptian journalist and host of an al-Jazeera talk show, in this account of the bloody battles for Fallujah. In April 2004, Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah ambushed an SUV, killing four Blackwater private security guards (widely hated for their violence and arrogance, and called mercenaries by the author). Afterward, a civilian mob mutilated the bodies, dragged them through the streets and hung them from a bridge. Soon American forces surrounded the city, but Mansour's TV crew slipped past; according to Mansour, they were the only journalists inside. Their vivid reports of bombing in residential areas and horrific civilian casualties proved an American public relations disaster. Partly as a result, U.S. forces withdrew, but returned later that year (with Mansour gone) and devastated the city. Mansour writes a gripping eyewitness account of the fighting without concealing his dislike of the American invasion and occupation. Readers may squirm at the account of the assault on the Blackwater guards (and the American attack that followed)—but most of all, perhaps, at the hatred of the American occupation that the grisly action expressed. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Ahmed Mansour, the celebrated reporter and anchor for the Al-Jazeera network, is the author of eighteen books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Olive Branch Press (July 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566567785
• ISBN-13: 978-1566567787
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,230,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, November 20, 2011

By 

N. lowhim "lowaf" (north carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inside Fallujah: The Unembedded Story (Paperback)

All the one star reviews seem to call this propaganda, while also (at least of them) calling for the reader to look elsewhere for information on Fallujah, presumably propaganda from the other side. It's called both sides of the coin and if anyone has the slightest need to see the other side of a story, this is it. All the slights on the the author don't take away from his bravery and what he went through to get a story out that would have gone unheard if not for him. I highly recommend this piece of writing just for that reason alone. Furthermore what he sees is not nice (if you are squeamish don't read this) but given that he has footage to back it up (and eye-witness accounts) gives his words that much more credence.

To be fair the english is not the best, but it doesn't diminish what he has written here. The people calling him a terrorist are laughable as he does not look at Saddam or the insurgents with rose-colored glasses. He does what he says he does, report (and he actually--gasp--tackles the issue of bias with respect to journalists and their subject matter, quite well I would add) what he saw and match it up to official statements. Note that no one who gave it a one star refuted anything specific. As for the book being full of generalizations that is also tripe, as the reporter is quite specific with his points. There are plenty of facts in the book for me to consider it a good piece of investigation. I can only imagine they did not do extensive research to arrive at their positions. Normally I would give this 3 to 4 stars but given the one stars I decided to off set them. Read this if you want a full understanding of media influence on a war. Disregard anyone who calls this man a terrorist apologist, such people don't know what they are talking about as this man is the opposite of that (research him on the web if you have to). This man went through a lot to get this out and he deserves an audience.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible-6th Grade Writing No Research - Paper written by generalization., June 10, 2011

By 

Juan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside Fallujah: The Unembedded Story (Paperback)

I am on page 30 and this book is horrible I was there when this happened and he has no facts none zero zilch. All his accusations are mere generalizations. There is nothing of substance in this book. I have no idea how this book even got published it fails all literary forms of investigative writing. If anyone in the Middle East reads this he is creating a world of hate and discontent. Please if your shows are good stick to that because investigative writing and reporting is definately not your niche.

8 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Infinitely interesting and very highly recommended, January 16, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside Fallujah: The Unembedded Story (Paperback)

The other side of the coin can prove enlightening and informative. "Inside Fallujah: The Unembedded Story" is another perspective from the battle of Fallujah during the oft criticized American War in Iraq. Offering a shocking other opinion, being one of the only reporters to stay inside the city during the US Invasion. Well worth considering for those studying the Iraq war, "Inside Fallujah" is infinitely interesting and very highly recommended.