Exposed: The New York Times' Baghdad Attack Dogs

One of Eason Jordan's three wounded fingers
after being attacked by a New York Times
Baghdad bureau dog March 18, 2007.

It was a stunning, painful sneak attack that landed me in the emergency room of the U.S . Army's hospital in Baghdad's Green Zone.

The attacker: Scratch, one of The New York Times' Baghdad bureau dogs, whose vicious bite opened three deep gashes in my right hand, sending blood spewing in all directions.

After being treated by medics at the New York Times bureau, I spent hours in the Combat Support Hospital's trauma center surrounded by mangled Iraqis, including a 10-year-old boy and a 50-ish man, both of whom were so badly burned and disfigured I doubt they survived.

In the midst of such misery and sadness, I defied U.S. Army doctors' orders to remain overnight in the hospital and, instead, fled after getting a tetanus shot and being x-rayed, cleaned up, and bandaged.

I downplayed it at the time, thinking it a freak, one-off nip in a country where there is genuinely horrific bloodshed every day.

Beyond that, when New York Times correspondents told me they were considering euthanizing Scratch because of the attack, I pleaded with them to spare the dog's life, which they did.

Only later did I learn of other attacks by Baghdad bureau pet dogs, the latest of which was reported today when Reuters broke the news that U.S. officials are investigating the killing of a New York Times bureau dog by a Blackwater contractor who claimed his Blackwater dog was attacked by a New York Times bureau dog, Hentish, last week.

Reported here for the first time: two other attacks by a New York Times Baghdad bureau pet dog.

Last month, a New York Times correspondent told me one of the bureau dogs bit an Iraqi in the crotch and attacked photojournalist Mike Kambers in the chest (if a dog bit me in the crotch, I might be inclined to euthanize it on the spot).

The New York Times correspondent assured the bureau's compound had finally been cleared of all dogs.

Now, weeks later, we learn of the dog attack involving Blackwater at the Times' Baghdad compound.

The New York Times' Baghdad bureau is renowned for its superb reporting, its unrivaled bureau quarters, and its scrumptious food.

It's now infamous for its attack dogs.

Eason Jordan is the chief executive of Praedict and its IraqSlogger news service.

Comments

[Quadspect]

Also suspect is the wound on the finger. What was his hand doing near a dog's mouth, if the dog showed a disposition to be vicious? It just doesn't add up.

[Quadspect]

Are we supposed to believe that this man was sitting on his hands, minding his own business, when all of the sudden, with no provocation, one of the Times "vicious attack dogs" bit him?

Considering the high number of journalists murdered in Iraq, it would appear this assertion of an unprovoked attack, is just another piece of Psy-Ops disinformation.

[poorotis]

"Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war."
-Bill Shakespeare, "Julius Caesar"

[poorotis]

"Cry 'havoc' and let slip the dogs of war."
-Bill Shakespeare,"Julius Caesar"

[willyloman]

Oh yes, and we all know just how thoughtful and kind the Blackwater guys are. They must be the nicest people when it comes to animals. They treat humans with such dignity and respect.

It's so timely that this guy comes out and talks about these vicious monster dogs right now, when the Blackwater guys are getting some bad press. Good for you, buddy. Way to stand up for the new Private for-profit Army when it counts. Maybe the "War of Terror" could be followed by the "War on Shell Shocked Frightened Animals". Think Lockheed could build a few doghouse buster bombs? Has to be some money in that, right?

[TXfemmom]

Dogs in Iraq are not socialized, as Muslims consider them to be unpure.

Besides, had you spent your entire life in an environment such as Iraq, you might well feel like biting the crotch of some of the people over there.

[aigeanta]

War. Is. Hell.

[cambridgedude]

Soooo, who let the dogs out?
Woof

[wadenelson1]

It's really a cryin' shame that the mongrel dogs the NYTimes Baghdad bureau adopted are more vicious than the Times' reporters.

"Reporter bites Presidential Candidate's head off in sneak attack with vicious questioning!"

Is the headline I want to see.

[RnR]

They're probably starving, have been kicked around and beaten and scared half to death by the illegal invasion/occupation they've managed to survive. The NYT people probably treat them better.

So...is it not understandable that they would try to protect those who have probably protected them?