History from the Archive: Feb. 12, 2003 report from Baghdad
History from the Archive examines how FSRN reported the news of the day, years ago.
On February 12, 2003, reporter Jeremy Scahill covered a mass given in Baghdad’s Saint Joseph’s Cathedral by the then-Pope’s senior adviser.
“The service today at the Cathedral at times weaved between the excitement of the papel call for peace and the nervous energy that is clear everywhere in Baghdad. At times, the service resembled a sort of collective last rite being administered to Iraq’s Christians.”
Original story introduction and audio:
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today that his Government would take “full account” of Friday’s report on Iraq to be delivered by UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix. With public opinion staunchly rising in Britain against Blair’s march to war, Blair told MPs they were in danger of letting UN inspectors get sucked into a time-wasting game of “hide and seek” in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Pope’s senior advisor arrived in Iraq today on a mission of peace. He conducted mass to an overflowing audience of both Muslims and Christians at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in central Baghdad. FSRN reporter Jeremy Scahill was there.
Photo: UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq (credit: IAEA)
