Pacific Free Press was launched in March 2007 by Dutch-Canadian Richard
Kastelein of V.O.F. Expathos, in the Netherlands along with Chris Cook- CFUV radio journalist and Editor in Chief of Pacific Free Press. Cook is based in , Victoria, British Columbia.
The site is a sister to Atlantic Free Press and Brick Ogden an American Expatriate in Amsterdam has been a key supporter of this project.
The mission of Pacific Free Press is simple: to dig out nuggets of truth from
the slag-heap of lies, ignorance and witless diversion that has buried
public discourse today. Pacific Free Press provides a new venue for
disseminating hard news and insightful, fact-based analysis of the
harsh realities too often ignored or distorted by the mainstream press.
Callaway Award for Civic Courage to Dahr Jamail
Journalist, embedded in the truth
by Joe A. Callaway Award Committee In recognition of his courageous decision to report the real stories of the Iraqi people under United States invasion and then occupation; his unique ability to cover “sustained atrocities,” a reportage that leaves indelible marks on one’s conscience and memories, weaving a disturbing tapestry of horrific, indiscriminate civilian injuries, diseases, humiliations and deaths (650,000 as of 2006); his depiction of the brutality of American military forces yet understanding the predicament of many soldiers arising out of failed policies, surrounded by endemic corruption of the war contractors who bilked with impunity the United States treasury; his outrage at the government’s unchecked power and a compliant corporate media that misled the American people; and his luminous humanity, seeking nothing but the truth for the whole story.
Dahr Jamail gave us a front row seat to the awful reality on the ground; the siege and destruction of Fallujah in April and November 2004 will stand as one of the darkest hours of our country. The stories of civilians fleeing the city on the advice of the American forces only to see themselves fired upon by those soldiers, the use of cluster bombs and white phosphorous that burned the skin of people and literally set them on fire, the raids and killing of entire families in their homes are now our stories, part of our history.
The Eighteenth Annual Joe A. Callaway
Award for Civic Courage
Presented to Dahr Jamail
Journalist, embedded in the truth
It’s a remarkable person who can leave a comfortable life in
Alaska, as a mountain tour guide and volunteer rescuer, travel 8,000
miles into certain danger, armed simply with a laptop computer and
small digital camera, return numerous times at great personal risk to
continue work on his own, and come out with so much truth as to
embarrass many journalists by showing what their standards for
excellence should be, and to accomplish this without any formal
training, first reporting to friends back home and then to a widening
circle of outlets.
Dahr Jamail made an extraordinary jump into
the fray, this hell on earth, in defense of the truth. His gripping
book Beyond the Green Zone bears witness to the suffering of the Iraqi
people, channeling their voices and words to the outside world,
interviewing them about life under occupation, and their resistance, a
proud people with an ancient civilization.
Described by Jeremy
Scahill as “the conscience of American war reporting,” and “the
quintessential unembedded reporter,” Dahr Jamail has raised the banner
for journalists everywhere and for citizen action towards a free press
and a truly informed public. He has demonstrated the power of one
citizen to make a difference.
We are all beneficiaries.
December 13, 2007
Carnegie Institution Building
Washington, D.C.
Think Dahr's work is vital? We need your help. It's easy! http://dahrjamailiraq.com/donate/
Order your copy of Dahr's new book, /Beyond the Green Zone/
http://dahrjamailiraq.com/bookpage
(c)2007 Dahr Jamail.
All
images, photos, photography and text are protected by United States and
international copyright law. If you would like to reprint Dahr's
Dispatches on the web, you need to include this copyright notice and a
prominent link to the http://DahrJamailIraq.com website. Any other use
of images, photography, photos and text including, but not limited to,
reproduction, use on another website, copying and printing requires the
permission of Dahr Jamail. Of course, feel free to forward Dahr's
dispatches via email.
More writing, commentary, photography, pictures and images at http://dahrjamailiraq.com
Writings 
In recognition of his courageous decision to report the real stories of the Iraqi people under United States invasion and then occupation; his unique ability to cover “sustained atrocities,” a reportage that leaves indelible marks on one’s conscience and memories, weaving a disturbing tapestry of horrific, indiscriminate civilian injuries, diseases, humiliations and deaths (650,000 as of 2006); his depiction of the brutality of American military forces yet understanding the predicament of many soldiers arising out of failed policies, surrounded by endemic corruption of the war contractors who bilked with impunity the United States treasury; his outrage at the government’s unchecked power and a compliant corporate media that misled the American people; and his luminous humanity, seeking nothing but the truth for the whole story.
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