Shiek Abdul Sattar Abu Reesha assasinated

News on CNN that Shiek Abdul Sattar Abu Reesha (aka: Shiekh Abdul Sattar Abureeshah) was assasinated today.

Shiek Sattar was one of the key leaders of the "Awakening" movement by the Sunni tribes in Anbar province which has been widely publicized in recent months for siding with American forces to battle against insurgents in Anbar.

I filmed an interview with Shiek Sattar's younger brother Shiek Ahmed B. Abureeshah in Feruary 2007 in Fallujah where he describes how his father, and two of his other brothers had previously been assasinated. On the same day I also interviewed Marine Corps Major General Richard Zilmer, and he commented on how instrumental a role Shiek Sattar had played in the formation of the Anbar Awakening, and the decision of the Sunni tribes to fight Al Queda.

Here is a link to my earlier post with video from both of those intereviews: http://ericiniraq.scrappydog.com/2007/03/interviews-with-iraqi-shiekh-and-marine.html

CBS interview with COL Gerdes (web only)

Cynthia Bowers interviews COL Kevin Gerdes about the Minnesota National Guard's reintegration program. This is additional video footage that wasn't used in the main story that ran on the CBS Evening News, and is only available on the web.

CBS Video: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3154124n

The following is my photo of the interview in progress at Volk Field in Wisconsin:

Part II of the CBS News story available online

Here is the link to the second half for the Bravo Company story that aired on the CBS Evening News this evening.

CBS Video: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3153781n

Note: Today's story led off with some of my video from Iraq, but the scene midway through of an explosion in a building was not my footage:


CBS text story: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/08/09/couricandco/entry3153266.shtml

Note: The text version is well done, and worth the read.

A nice mention in the Day by Day cartoon

Chris Muir mentioned me a couple of months ago in his "Day by Day" cartoon (see today's strip at the bottom of the page). I've been meaning to highlight it, and I just haven't gotten around to it. Thanks Chris!

Watch part I of CBS News story online

Here are links to part I of the CBS News story on Bravo Company that aired last night (August 8th, 2007):

CBS Video: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3150282n

CBS Text story: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/08/eveningnews/main3147899.shtml?source=search_story

All of the footage from Iraq in the piece was filmed by me in February (it's really Bravo Company, not stock footage). People seen in the video include Max the interpreter, SGT Mike Davis, and CPT Chip Rankin.

Tune in tonight to see part II on the CBS Evening News.

Additional CBS coverage: John Kriesel interview

In addition to the 2 part story airing on the CBS Evening News, here is a 6 minute "web only" interview with SGT John Kriesel, the Bravo Company soldier who lost both his legs in Iraq. John recounts the events of the day when his HMMV was blownup:

CBS Video: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3150359n


This interview was conducted by CBS reporter Cynthia Bowers at Volk Field in Wisconsin on the day that Bravo Company landed from Iraq (my photo of the interview in progress below).

CBS Evening News Coverage of Bravo Company 2/136

The CBS Evening News is planning to run a two part story about the Minnesota National Guard's extended deployment in Iraq featuring Bravo Company in particular. This is tentatively scheduled to air on Wednesday and Thursday of this week (August 8-9 2007... subject to change).

They will be featuring some of the the following soldiers: Eric Myrold, Tim Nelson, Chip Rankin, and Brian Micheletti. I spent a day working with the crew, and I'm expecting that they will also be using some of the video I shot while in Iraq with Bravo Company in February.

UPDATE: As of this morning (Wednesday August 8th) this is confirmed to air tonight and tomorrow.