Front-row view of mission in Iraq changes woman's perspective

[darrels joy]

Thursday, July 01, 2004
Copyright ? Las Vegas Review-Journal

JANE ANN MORRISON: Front-row view of mission in Iraq changes woman's perspective

A joyful shriek exploded from Traci Scott's throat Monday.

It was 8 p.m. in Baghdad. The transfer of power to an interim Iraqi government had quietly taken place that day, two days earlier than expected.

"I was in on everything," Scott squealed over her cell phone. "I was on the tarmac when Ambassador (Paul) Bremer left. I can't believe I was a part of history like I was today."

As Bremer was leaving, she stood next to a high-ranking Iraqi, who told her: "It's historical, but it's now our responsibility."

Scott is one of the civilian volunteers in Iraq. By the time she leaves July 5, Scott will have been in Iraq for 10 months as special projects coordinator for the Office of Strategic Communications.

While we spoke, she was escorting anchor Dan Rather's television crew to its broadcast site for that evening's CBS News.

The former Las Vegas television reporter-turned-government spokeswoman left her safe and secure job as spokeswoman for Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., to go to Iraq because she's a true believer in the war and reconstruction effort.

Scott's assignment was to help get the good news of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority out to the American public.

Her job was to help "celebrity" journalists such as Rather with their news accounts. (And make sure the newsies didn't speak to anyone without her office's approval). She was sort of a good-cop, bad-cop with the soul and body of a cheerleader, both assisting and restricting the media's access.

Commentator and lobbyist Rich Galen, once the political communications director for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, named her as one of four civilian "heroes" who helped the U.S. government promote its message.

In his testimony June 15 before the House subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, Galen said: "Traci is responsible for dealing with high-profile reporters who parachute into Iraq. She has done more to help deliver the messages of positive activities than any other single civilian."

Soon, Scott will be an unemployed hero.

At 39, she doesn't have a job. "For the first time in my life, I have no idea what I'll do, especially after today when you've been the witness to history like I have."

A Washington Post story, which ran in Sunday's Review-Journal, outlined what the U.S.-led coalition and the Strategic Communications Office itself failed to accomplish.

Diplomats from other countries said the office failed to communicate with the Iraqi people and was staffed by inexperienced Republican staffers with political backgrounds. "Stratcom viewed its job as helping Bush to win his next election," a British official told The Post.

Scott didn't want to criticize the article, which she said she had not yet read, but when asked whether she thought she accomplished her goal during her 10 months there, Scott answered: "My role in all of this is different than other folks' roles."

She was not there to prepare Iraqis to take back control of their government, she was there to promote positive news about the effort.

It wasn't a risk-free job. She said that while riding with Bremer to Fallujah aboard a Blackhawk helicopter recently, "The pilot barely missed a pole and we dropped and banked and I thought: This is how I'm going to die. Everyone on the chopper was scared to death."

Her loyalty to Bremer is absolute. She bristled at the suggestion he was naive in his beliefs of what he could accomplish in Iraq.

Before he left, she said she told him, "Sir, if you run for dogcatcher, I'd work for you again."

Scott said she's coming back to the United States a different person. "I'm more patriotic than I've ever been. I will treat Memorial Day and Veteran's Day with more respect than I ever have before."

After 13 years in television, her view of the media also has changed: She's more jaded about reporters coming in with a preset agenda.

In August she's the keynote speaker at the Nevada Broadcaster's Hall of Fame dinner in Henderson.

Scott won't be fawning over the media that night.

[Seascamp]

Thanks Joy,

Sounds like the Nevadan Traci Scott had an eventful tour and got to the reality of dealing with preset and pre-established reporting. I don?t envy her the task of having to deal with CBS and King Rather and all those who feel it their mission to create the news to fit their particular political agenda instead of reporting the news as it occurs. I?m not at all optimistic she will find employment in any main-line media company or their joined at the hip academia mavens, but there is a cornucopia of opportunity for those who will take on a tough chore and see it through, so I?m sure she?ll be just fine.

Scamp

[firemedic]

More proof that our own media is the biggest deterent in our enjoying quicker, less lethal victory in Iraq. When will we begin to hold them accountable??

[darrels joy]

I have been given the job of Managing editor at militarychat.net
(Thanks David), unpaid of course.

My job is to collect military stories and post them there.

There are catagories for Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard. I get these stories from their news releases.

Stories range from who won the surfing competition in Hawaii (Navy won but Air Force put out the story that they came in second :cd: ), where they Navy ships are, what the Marines are up to including but not just battles, Coast Guard serving around the world with the Navy and at home and soldiers working, fighting and humanitarian assistance throughout the world.

There are also the occasional stories that answer the attacks found in mainstream coverage and stories about joint military training with many countries throughout the world.

Check it out. Our military is busy doing more than just fighting.