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Show i HERALD DAILY B6 Wednesday. Mardi21,2007 rsin Iraq ABC, NBC put fo cus on work of their eoorte x. - David Bauder THE his preoccupation with covering the Middle East since he ASSOCIATED PRESS During his four years in Iraq, NBC News correspondent Richard Engel has escaped two attempted carjackings and a roadside bomb. Another bomb blew the door off his hotel room, sending shrapnel that burned holes through sheets of the bed where he was sleeping. It's still an assignment he wouldn't think of giving up. Both NBC and ABC this week are showcasing the work of two correspondents Engel and Terry McCarthy who have covered most of the war. ' Engel's "War Zone Diary" premieres 8 p.m. tonight on MSNBC It's a personal look at his experiences, filmed mostly on the small camera he brought to Baghdad as a freelancer before the U.S. invasioa McCarthy is the lead reporter for the "Iraq: Where Things Stand" series that will be featured on all of ABCs newscasts this week. He traveled around the country (as much as he could) to talk to Iraqis about their lives. The reporters' own lives in Iraq are filled with constant safety concerns and frustration that the danger restricts their work, mixed with the exhilaration of covering the biggest story in the world. "When we decide to do stories our first consideration is 'is it safe to go there?" and our second consideration is 'is it a newsworthy story?" which I hate," McCarthy told The Associated Press by phone from Iraq. "But that's just the reality of working here." McCarthy, 45, covered the war for Time magazine before joining ABC News last June. He's married with two children under age 3, and his assignment regularly gives him six weeks in Iraq and three weeks home in Los Angeles. Engel is 33 and childless, with a divorce caused in part by graduated from Stanford 11 years ago. Engel's career took off when he stayed in Baghdad at a time many networks pulled correspondents in anticipation of the American attack. He recorded many of those moments for his diary, trying to capture the sense of paranoia while waiting for war and the realization he was truly " . - 1 r t - . , i i. ,i i alone. At one point, Engel muses about filming material for his own obituary. His most recent close call was a month ago. He was riding with a military unit past a field strewn with garbage and, often, dead bodies. The driver swerved defensively just as a" bomb was detonated. Engel's only injuries were a headache and sore back. One of the near carjackings scared him the most. In Baghdad traffic, cars suddenly pulled in front of and behind his car. Engel's driver . .. 'r" ,-- 11 instantly recognized what was .'',V5 '.,(.. happening, turned and jumped a concrete median. He tore away at 80 mph, dodging oncoming cars. "Sometimes, what's most frightening is the down time, when you think, 'it's been four years now, how often can you press your luck?" he said. "At some stage if I keep doing this, and I plan on keeping doing this, I'll have to be fairly cauNBC tious arid fairly hicky to walk in This 2006 photo, released by NBC News, shows correspondent Richard Engel at Camp Striker Iraq. Engel reports pom Iraq away from this without getin the NBC special "War Zone Diary," which premieres tonight on MSNBC. ting hurt or worse." Every trip out of the office for an interview requires a how the story will end. to be approved by bosses in number of his car. moments to himself. checklist of considerations, New York, he said. They often Another neighborhood pre"There have been bullets McCarthy met his wife three including escape routes. "You months before the Sept. 11, sumed safe was now want to move in, do what you that have come way too close say no. Much of ABCs reporting is 2001 terrorist attacks, after "It's hugely frustrating, in to me," he said, "but I don't need to do and get out before which he was dispatched to that there are many places that done by local staff members, like to talk about that too anyone knows you were His three weeks heroes of the cannot we is Afghanistan. that much. nowhere journalThere to," he said. unsung McCarthy get there," ism in this war, he said. People off are family time and he uses is safe here. We do our best to said. "That goes against all of If you try to avoid every a Web cam to keep in touch-whilmy journalistic instincts. I hate are much more free to move protect ourselves." dangerous situation, "you he's in Iraq. of other in the around secondhand on to leave had to He parts not well as be having rely there," abruptly might "It's not easy," he said. "I've one Baghdad neighborhood re- sources. I want to go out and country, and McCarthy said Engel said, while conceding made it clear to her that this he was surprised to see the see places and talk to people the lifestyle has a certain adcently after a half hour when is a little slice of history that I level of commerce elsewhere, a security guard noticed some- and in many cases that's not dictive quality. including a $1 billion retail and want to follow through." one writing down the license possible. We are kidnap tarMcCarthy keeps his worst He also feels loyal to people housing development in Kurdgets now." he's met in Iraq. He has diffiistan. The subject is particularly cult working conditions; this is sensitive at ABC News, where Despite the difficulties and the life they lead every day. time already spent covering anchor Bob Woodruff was a war that has changed shape "Every time I come back I'm nearly killed by a roadside amazed that people still live several times, neither man bomb in January 2006. 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